Meghalaya's pollution board slapped with legal notice

Shillong, June 8 (UNI) The High Court here today directed Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to grant permission to Meghalaya People's Human Rights Council (MPHRC) to participate in the public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village on June 12, regarding proposed Uranium mining in West Khasi Hills district.

A division bench that issued the directive comprised Justices Tinlianthang Vaiphei and A P Subba. The directive came after a Public Interest Litigation was filed by MPHRC Secretary General D D G Dympep in this regard.

In fact, the MSPCB's public notice on May 5 specified that only bonafide residents in or around the proposed Uranium mining sites or site of displacement or site of alleged adverse environmental impact and who obtained certificates from the local headman would be allowed to participate in the public hearing.

The petition, filed by the human rights activist, alleged that the local headman in the areas is ''hand in glove'' with the government and acting in a malafide manner in not giving the certificate for participation in the public hearing.

Mr Dympep, further, informed the Court that the Executive Summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Environmental Management Plan for the proposed Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium projects was prepared by a little known private concern having no established credentials.

The Court also directed the MSPCB to duly consider the various contentions to be urged by the petitioner-association in the proposed hearing and thereafter take a decision in accordance with law.

The Board shall also furnish copies of the proceedings of the public hearing to the petitioner-associstion as and when the hearing is completed,'' the Court directed.

Meanwhile, one Pynskhemlang Syiem has served a legal notice to MSCPB, stating that the proposed public hearing to be conducted at Nongbah Jynrin was ''illegal'' as it had not followed the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006.

''The public hearing which has been proposed by the State Pollution Control Board to be held on June 12 had also not followed the procedure provided for conducting public hearing in Appendix IV of the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006,'' the legal notice stated.

UNI