Shnongrim landowners challenge Shree Cement mining project

Landowners and farmers from Shnongrim village have submitted a formal representation to a state-constituted fact-finding committee regarding a proposed Shree Cement limestone mining project at Lum Syrman in East Jaintia Hills.

The residents assert that the land is not ownerless but is ancestral farmland held under customary rights by 117 families. They provided various documents, including Patta/Land Holding Certificates and local administrative records, to support their claims of ownership and long-term cultivation. The group expressed strong opposition to the project, stating that development promises cannot replace land rights.

Furthermore, the landowners alleged that a public hearing organized by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board on July 31 was compromised. They claimed that approximately 40-50 police personnel blocked roads and intimidated villagers, preventing them from participating. The representation also calls for an investigation into the potential misuse of administrative power by local officials and demands a thorough verification of all land records before any mining activities proceed.