New Delhi: The Centre is engaged in an exercise to determine whether French mining firm Lafarge could be given the green signal to mine limestone from the forest areas of Meghalaya.
Lafarge uses the limestone at its cement plant across the border in Bangladesh.
On February 5, the Supreme Court stayed mining by the firm on a report that it was violating the Forest Protection Act. The government soon moved the court asking the ban on mining be lifted as this was endangering the country’s relationship with a friendly neighbour country.
Attorney-general Goolam E Vahanvati on Monday told a special forest bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan to adjourn the hearing for two weeks to enable the government take a decision.
The court is hearing a petition by Shella Action Committee, a civil group of the Shella tribals of the East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya.
Vahanvati said the government would decide within a fortnight if it is feasible for it to give Lafarge Umiam Mining the forest clearance certificate if the French firm abides by certain monetary stipulations for the development of tribals and the region around its project area.
He said the government is contemplating to grant forest clearance certificate to the firm in case it pays a sum of Rs 55 crore.
Lafarge will also have to deposit Rs 90 per tonne for limestone mined so far into a special purpose vehicle for welfare of the local population.
On February 5, the Supreme Court stayed mining by the firm on a report that it was violating the Forest Protection Act. The government soon moved the court asking the ban on mining be lifted as this was endangering the country’s relationship with a friendly neighbour country.
Attorney-general Goolam E Vahanvati on Monday told a special forest bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan to adjourn the hearing for two weeks to enable the government take a decision.
The court is hearing a petition by Shella Action Committee, a civil group of the Shella tribals of the East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya.
Vahanvati said the government would decide within a fortnight if it is feasible for it to give Lafarge Umiam Mining the forest clearance certificate if the French firm abides by certain monetary stipulations for the development of tribals and the region around its project area.
He said the government is contemplating to grant forest clearance certificate to the firm in case it pays a sum of Rs 55 crore.
Lafarge will also have to deposit Rs 90 per tonne for limestone mined so far into a special purpose vehicle for welfare of the local population.