Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Lapang cements save-cave campaign

Caught in a storm over the growth of cement factories in the vicinity of the country?s longest cave system, Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang today committed himself to a ?fact-finding exercise? to fix responsibility for lapses, if any, in sanctioning the plants.

The cement factories at Lumshnong in the Jaintia Hills were sanctioned after the Meghalaya Industrial Policy of 1997 introduced a single-window clearance scheme.

Environmentalists say the 21.56-km-long Kotsati cave, which combines with smaller caves to form a network that stretches for over 35 km, will cease to exist if the cement factories are allowed to go full steam ahead with production.

Lapang admitted the fragile ecology of the area could be imperilled by the cement plants, each of which occupy about 12 hectares of land. ?Yes, we must get to the truth and see that our environment and caves are not destroyed,? he said.

The chief minister said his government would scrutinise all relevant documents pertaining to the cement plants.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Lapang cements save-cave campaign

Caught in a storm over the growth of cement factories in the vicinity of the country?s longest cave system, Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang today committed himself to a ?fact-finding exercise? to fix responsibility for lapses, if any, in sanctioning the plants.

The cement factories at Lumshnong in the Jaintia Hills were sanctioned after the Meghalaya Industrial Policy of 1997 introduced a single-window clearance scheme.

Environmentalists say the 21.56-km-long Kotsati cave, which combines with smaller caves to form a network that stretches for over 35 km, will cease to exist if the cement factories are allowed to go full steam ahead with production.

Lapang admitted the fragile ecology of the area could be imperilled by the cement plants, each of which occupy about 12 hectares of land. ?Yes, we must get to the truth and see that our environment and caves are not destroyed,? he said.

The chief minister said his government would scrutinise all relevant documents pertaining to the cement plants.