The Jaintia National Council (JNC) has alleged that the public hearing for the proposed Shree Cement plant at Daistong in East Jaintia Hills district was held in an atmosphere of fear, intimidation and obstruction.
JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh claimed that villagers and JNC members attempting to attend the hearing were prevented from reaching the venue by unidentified masked men and certain village leaders, whom he alleged were sponsored by Shree Cement.
According to Lyngdoh, a dumper truck was deliberately used to block the road leading to the public hearing site, while several residents were reportedly assaulted by masked individuals during the incident.
Strongly criticising the district administration, Lyngdoh said the Deputy Commissioner appeared “powerless” as hundreds of masked persons allegedly controlled access to the area.
“India’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom to appear, speak and express concerns at a public hearing. What we witnessed was a blatant violation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) norms and a serious assault on constitutional rights,” he stated.
The JNC has announced that it will submit a formal complaint to the concerned authorities and pursue legal action, condemning what it described as intimidation and manipulation during a process meant for democratic public participation.