Guwahati: Wildlife conservationists across the state have raised their voices after the Assam government allotted nearly 3,000 bighas of land in Dima Hasao to a cement company.
They call it a direct threat to forests, hills, and indigenous communities. The move has sparked widespread outrage, legal scrutiny, and the possibility of statewide protests.
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The Gauhati High Court has strongly criticised the Assam government for allotting nearly 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao district to Mahabal Cement Private Limited.
Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi called the allotment “extraordinary” and remarked, “3,000 bighas! The entire district? What kind of decision is this? Is this some kind of a joke or what?” The court has directed the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) to produce records explaining the rationale behind such a massive allocation in an ecologically fragile Sixth Schedule area.
Soon after the court’s remarks, wildlife conservationists sounded the alarm, warning that the government’s land policy was endangering forests, hills, and tribal livelihoods. A widely shared social media post read:
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“Without agitation, Assam and the entire Northeast will be destroyed someday. People must take to the streets; I believe in movements alongside the law. Disregarding all laws, the Assam government allotted 990 acres of land in Dima Hasao to the Adani Group for a mega cement plant. In this way, our hills and forests are being destroyed. We must raise our voices in protest in front of the Assam Secretariat peacefully, but we cannot protect them unless we act… #Bonbondhu,” wrote wildlife conservationist Devajit Moran, based in Upper Assam.
Local activists and villagers in Dima Hasao echoed the same concerns.
Ranjan Terang, a youth leader from Haflong, said, “If this cement plant comes up, it will pollute our rivers, and our community will lose the very forests that feed and protect us.”
Environmental campaigner Meghali Das from Guwahati added, “It is shocking that the authorities took such a decision without consulting local people. They keep telling us that development is the priority, but who will answer when we lose our water, air, and land?”
Even villagers living near Umrangso fear displacement. Lalitha Rongpi, a homemaker, told reporters, “Our forefathers lived here for generations. If this land goes to a cement company, where will we go? What will happen to our children?”
Experts argue that the proposed allocation poses serious ecological risks. Partha Hazarika, an environmental scientist, also said, “The area is home to migratory birds, hot springs, and rich biodiversity. Any large-scale industrial project will irreversibly damage the ecosystem.”
Adding to this, Professor Abinash Thakuria, a sociologist from Assam University, further remarked, “Beyond the environmental angle, this is about the dignity of tribal communities under the Sixth Schedule. Their rights cannot be sacrificed for corporate interests.”
Amid the public outcry and social media claims linking the project to the Adani Group, the conglomerate issued a clarification. In its official statement dated August 18, 2025, the company said: “Mahabal Cement has no association, corporate or otherwise, with the Adani Group. Reports suggesting any link are baseless, false, and misleading.”
The issue has now evolved into a broader debate about tribal land rights, forest conservation, and corporate expansion in the Northeast. With the High Court keeping a close watch and conservationists preparing for protests, the Assam government also finds itself at the centre of growing public scrutiny.
As activist Bidyut Kalita summed it up: “We are not against development, but development should not mean destruction. If the authorities ignore people’s voices, they will leave us no option but to agitate on the streets.”