JOWAI: Unscientific limestone mining in War-Jaintia, Amlarem Sub-Division in Jaintia Hills has become a cause of concern for residents of Nongtalang village and its surrounding villages who are facing an impending water scarcity in the area.

A huge quantity of limestone is exported to Bangladesh via Tamabil on a daily basis which has encouraged individuals in the area to start limestone mining. The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council has so far issued 21 numbers of NOCs (No Objection Certificates) for extraction of limestone, 25 NOCs to exporters and another 12 to transporters.

SHILLONG: In a major embarrassment for Rymbai legislator Nehlang Lyngdoh (Congress) the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) have accused him of not adhering to safety norms at a coal mine owned by him located on the Ladrymbai-Rymbai road in Jaintia Hills.

The lack of safety measures in Lyngdoh’s coal mine came to light during a visit by the NCPCR team to the coal mine on Friday. As per the letter written to the Deputy Commissioner of Jaintia Hills, the Deputy Labour Commissioner and Divisional Mining officer who accompanied the team, said, “It was noticed that there are no safety measures, labour welfare amenities etc., which may endanger the lives of labourers working in the said mine.”

NEW DELHI: A day after the Centre named several cement plants as eco offenders in Meghalaya, two leading companies – Amrit Cement Industries Ltd and Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd – have denied that have violated any environment laws in the State.

A spokesman from the Amirt cement even submitted documents which showed that the company did get environment clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest before it started its operations.

SHILLONG: Most of the headmen of Raid Lyngshing (Lynshing traditional chiefdom), which covers more than 20 villages under Mawkynrew Community and Rural Development ( C&RD) Block in East Khasi Hills, today opposed the proposed (3 x 80 MW) Umngot Hydro Electric Project. The opposing voices were heard during the public hearing organized by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) and the East Khasi Hills District Administration at Siang Khnai Village, 70 kms from here.

JOWAI: The proposed Rs 1853 crore power project in Jaintia hills has got the green signal from residents of several villages including Moosakhia, Sohmynting and Samanong under Amlarem Sub-Division who have unanimously voted in favour of commissioning the project.

The public support for the Umngot Hydro Electric Project (three stages of 80 MW each) proposed by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) came forth during a public hearing on the project conducted by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) at Moosakhia village in Jaintia Hills district on Friday.

SHILLONG: The preliminary report conducted by the Mining and Geology department has ruled out that uranium exploration is the cause of the mysterious death of thousand of fishes along Ranikor River.

The preliminary report has in fact blamed that the mass death of fish to the toxicity of the river where local people use toxic substances for catching fish for commercial purposes.

Shillong, April 17: The state government is yet to ascertain the cause of death of fishes in two rivers of West Khasi Hills, even four days after the incident. It was on April 13 that dead fishes were found floating in Kynshi and Rilang rivers near Ranikor. There were also reports of villagers, who consumed fishes from these rivers, suffering from dysentery. Three varied theories are doing the rounds as the possible causes for the death of fishes. One possibility is the acid mine drainage from coal mines to the rivers in the West Khasi Hills like in Jaintia Hills.

In a first in the entire northeastern region, the NREGS workers in Meghalaya are going to get their pay through biometric smart cards. The scheme, involving Axis Bank, has been launched on a pilot basis on March 22 under the aegis of the Reserve Bank of India. RBI officials said that while they would have liked to have rolled the pilot out in all the northeastern states, under policy guidelines, 2 per cent of the payment is to be borne by the state government, and no government in the Northeast apart from Meghalaya has been willing to do so thus far.

SHILLONG: Following CAG exposé on the failure of the state government to adhere to the Forest Conservation Act has compelled the Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) central body to further pressurize the government to close down the cement factories operating in Jaintia Hills.

“This is a very serious matter indeed and the government’s failure has affected its exchequer to a large extent whereby it was mentioned that the state has lost revenue to the tune of Rs 43.45 crore due to its lack of will”, JYF president P Majaw told reporters here on Tuesday.

JOWAI: Education Minister Dr RC Laloo launched five public services buses sponsored under the 13th Finance Commissioner Award 2010-11 and implemented by the Jowai Municipal Boaord was launched at Circuit House Jowai on Monday.

Along with the Education Minister, the JHADC Chief Executive Member, Lamdibok Sumer, the Officer on Special Duty, Urban Affair, T Lyngwa, the Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner besides other senior government officers, representative of localities and prominent residents of Jowai were also present during the launching program.