Meghalaya HC orders probe into illegal limestone mining allegations against Amrit Cement Industries

The High Court of Meghalaya has directed state authorities to investigate allegations of unauthorised limestone mining by Amrit Cement Industries Limited in the ecologically sensitive Jaintia Hills region.

The public interest litigation, filed by Ranjit Chandra Goswami, centres on claims that the cement company has been extracting limestone without proper mining licenses. The case gained momentum after an RTI application by SK Sharma revealed that Amrit Cement Industries was not listed among companies with valid mining leases in the area.

According to documents obtained from the Guwahati Regional Office of the Indian Bureau of Mines in March 2022, "the respondent No.9 did not have any license for mining limestone." The petition alleges the company was "indulging in illegal mining of limestone, which they are using in their factory to make cement."

Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, hearing the case, had earlier directed the state government to treat the petition as an informal complaint and conduct a thorough inquiry. The court noted that the state has now submitted its investigation report.

The petition was admitted on February 19, 2025, highlighting growing concerns over environmental degradation in Meghalaya's mining-rich regions. The Jaintia Hills area has been particularly vulnerable to mining-related environmental issues, making this case significant for conservation efforts.

During Thursday's proceedings, the petitioner's counsel, A Goyal, sought permission to file an affidavit responding to the state's inquiry report. The court granted this request, allowing until July 21 for the submission.

Amrit Cement Industries, represented by senior advocate DK Banerjee, will have the opportunity to file a rejoinder before the next hearing scheduled for July 24, 2025.