Overview

• Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi called the 3,000-bigha allotment to Mahabal Cement “extraordinary” in an August 12 hearing and raised concerns about public interest.
• Court records note the land lies in Umrangso in Dima Hasao, a Sixth Schedule district described as an environmental hotspot with hot springs, migratory-bird stopovers and wildlife.
• The North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council allotted 2,000 bighas in October 2024 and an adjacent 1,000 bighas in November 2024 for a cement plant, prompting legal challenges.
• Twenty-two local residents have petitioned against alleged evictions, while the company has sought protection from disruptions; both cases are being heard together.
• Mahabal Cement’s counsel says the allotment followed a tendered mining lease, and the firm earlier signed an MoU of about ₹11,000 crore with Assam; a viral courtroom clip sparked false links to Adani, which the conglomerate formally denied.