Meghalaya govt to discuss on Lafarge issue

Shillong, Oct 5 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai today assured of holding discussion with the anti-Lafarge group Shella Natives' Action Committee (SNAC) soon.

Talking to reporters here after the inconclusive meeting with SNAC members, Mr Rymbai said the next meeting will be attended by Mining and Geology Minister Prestone Tynsong.

Various NGOs and other pressure groups in the state had accused the Lafarge Company of having "violated" the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act, 1971.

The NGOs also alleged that the French cement compnay had mortgaged land to foreign financial institutions based in Bangladesh.

These pressure groups had expressed fears that the foreign Banks funding the Lafarge cement project would take possession of the land in the state in case the company defaults.

Earlier, Chief Secretray S K Tewari denied claims that foreign financial institutions would take possession of patches of land in Nongtrai and Shella regions if cement giant Lafarge fails in its project.

At present, Lafarge was tranporting 90,000 mt of limestone from its mining sites in Nongtrai and Shella to Chhatak in Sylhet district of Bangladesh for cement production. The limestone would be sent to the company's plant at Chhatak through a 17-km-long cross border track.

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