SC notice to Meghalaya on illegal mining in Lafarge case, India
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Meghalaya government on a report by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) that illegal mining of limestone was going on in the East Khasi hill region of the state.
A special three-judge forest bench, headed by the Chief Justice S H Kapadia, has issued notice to the state government and asked it to file the reply.
The notice was accepted by Additional Solicitor General Parag Tripathi representing the state government.
"State of Meghalaya, who appears before us, undertakes to effect service on the quarry owners.Issue notice accordingly," said the bench, which also comprises justices Aftab Alam and K S Radhakrishnan.
On April 8, the apex court had directed CEC to look into the allegations that the members of the Shella Village Action Committee (SVAC) were illegally mining limestone in the East Khasi hill region and were exporting to Bangladesh.
Earlier, the court had stopped mining by Lafarge over a petition filed by SVAC, which alleged that the French cement major was mining in the forest area of the region without proper approvals. Published under Cement News
