Complaint Lodged Against Large Scale Mechanised Quarrying in Meghalaya

Shillong: RTI Activist and Civil Society Women's Organization (CSWO), President, Agnes Kharsiing on Sunday lodged an FIR at Shillong after receiving information that there was rampant quarrying of boulders by use of big machines in an area in Phodkabrew, at Umtyrniut Village, under the Mawphlang Lyngdohship, East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.

In the video footage, the Dumper Trucks were seen plying through the village and through the road which was already badly constructed about 2 years back in this village.

Speaking to The Sentinel, Agnes informed that according to some villagers the land was taken on lease by one Maharal (Overseer) of PWD, and he had been quarrying by having labourers to do the stone quarrying.

It is also informed that according to the landowner, the land was not given for use by huge machines but to provide job to the locals in the customary traditional stone quarrying method.

Agnes and her team further encountered a bike where two persons were sitting and they appeared to be Non- Tribals.“I was told this area does not allow quarrying to outsiders,” said Agnes.

After proceeding to the site from the hillside, Agnes and her team saw one of these persons giving instructions to the driver of the machine.

They also took Photographs and videos of the site.

They accordingly came back and lodged an FIR for destruction and polluting the streams, for investigation if royalty was paid or not, and for Benami if the case arises.

Agnes in her Facebook post further said, “We later came to know further that the locals earlier working there manually were sent to work to a Stone Crusher site, about two weeks back, and this machine was brought in. In the last few days, people of the village were awakened by the plying of heavy trucks through their village continuously. There were about 6-7 dumper trucks and all were carrying about 7-10 trips per day, full load. They found it strange that there was no objection from the local traditional authority while earlier on the locals were stopped whenever they carried an overload of more than two feet in their trucks. They were also not allowed to ply frequently like the way the present trucks were allowed”…. Read here: https://www.facebook.com/agnes.kharshiing/posts/2372692739412177

Earlier, the villagers of Lyngkien Village downhill had informed Agnes of the water pollution because of the quarrying from these areas.

Agnes also mentioned that the District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong had also promulgated an order under Section 144 CrPC restraining illegal mining and quarrying in the hill slopes and removal of sand from river-beds by any person, company or authority without obtaining Mining Licence/ Quarry Permit and other Clearance Certificates from the Competent Authority/(s).

It may be mentioned that most of the rivers have been polluted due to stone and sand mining and as such the water are no longer portable and fit for drinking purposes.

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