The Gauhati High Court has raised strong objections to the allotment of nearly 3,000 bighas of land to a private cement company in Assam’s tribal district of Dima Hasao, describing the decision as extraordinary.

The matter came up on August 12 during the hearing of petitions filed by local villagers opposing their eviction from the area, Bar and Bench reported.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi, while hearing the case, questioned the scale of the allotment made in favour of Mahabal Cements.

“What kind of a decision is this? Is this some kind of joke or what? How do you allot 3,000 bighas to a company? Do you understand the magnitude of 3,000 bighas? It will be half of the district,” he remarked, adding that the company must be “very influential” to have secured “almost half of the district” for mining.

In its defence, the cement company argued that the land in question was barren and necessary for its operations.

The bench, however, pushed back, stating, “Your need is not the issue… the public interest is the issue,” as quoted by Live Law.

The court further underlined that Dima Hasao is a Sixth Schedule district under the Constitution, where the rights and interests of tribal communities must take precedence.

It also noted that Umrangso, the proposed mining site, is an environmental hotspot known for its hot springs and as a stopover for migratory birds and wildlife.

Observing that “a cursory glance into the facts of the case would reveal that the land which has been sought to be allotted is about 3,000 bighas which itself appears to be extraordinary,” the bench directed the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) to produce records relating to the policy under which the allotment was made.

The matter will be heard again on September 1.