PMO seeks clarification on Lafarge cement plant

Shillong, Nov 16 (UNI) The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has sought a clarification from the Meghalaya government on the delay in granting permission to the Lafarge India Company Limited to set up a cement plant in the state.

Recently, the PMO had sent a letter to Chief Minister J D Rymbai questioning the delay in the setting up of the Lafarge Cement plant at Nongkhlieh Sutnga village in Jaintia Hills district.

In the letter, the PMO had urged the state government to give its seal of approval to Lafarge India stating that the project was meant for the development of the state, official sources said here today.

Mr Rymbai had to delay the sanctioning permission after six of his MLAs opposed the idea of setting up the plant.

The Eastern Jaintia Welfare Association, a lesser known NGO in the state, had also asked the state government not to grant permission to Lafarge India fearing that the flow of migrant labourers from other states would disturb the demographic structure of the state.

''We are not going to further delay the deal and the government will grant permission to Lafarge in time,'' an official from the industries department said.

Lafarge India Company Limited had proposed investing Rs 500 crore for the cement plant in Jaintia Hills. The multi-national company had also proposed to develop the village.

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