Shillong: Daistong villagers appeared before the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission on Tuesday. They claim authorities blocked them from a public hearing regarding the proposed Integrated Cement Plant by Shree Cement Ltd. The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board held the hearing on December 19, 2025.
The session aimed to let locals voice concerns about the project. Social activist Reachingson Siangshai accompanied the residents. He noted this marks the first time the commission summoned the villagers to discuss their claims. "This was the first time the MHRC had summoned the Daistong villagers to appear before it and discuss their complaint," Siangshai said.
Siangshai alleges that people at the hearing actively harassed the residents. He claims some of these individuals hid their faces to avoid identification. Khasi Students’ Union leaders from the district joined the villagers in court. The group remains firm in their opposition. They want the government to scrap the project entirely.
Villagers are now waiting for the commission to issue an order. They refuse to back down. If the local commission fails to settle the dispute, the residents may take their case to the Supreme Court.
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