New Delhi, September 19: The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), which Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last year accused of causing flash floods in Guwahati through what he termed “flood jihad,” has been found to be illegally constructed on forest land without central clearance, according to a report by the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The CEC, which advises the apex court on forest and environmental issues, revealed that USTM in Ri-Bhoi district occupies 25 hectares of forest land, of which 13.62 hectares are already under construction. It recommended a penalty of ₹150.35 crore and directed that the encroached land be restored to its natural forest state within one year.
The report further noted that construction work for the proposed P.A. Sangma Memorial Medical College, promoted by the same foundation, has caused severe damage to an additional 7.64 hectares of forest land. The committee described the site as having suffered “massive and indiscriminate destruction,” adding that the land had been broken “devastatingly” and the surrounding areas heavily disturbed.
Highlighting clear violations, the panel said no approval was ever sought under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, despite the Union Environment Ministry confirming in 2017 that the USTM land was classified as forest. Similarly, the Meghalaya Forest Department in 2021 flagged violations of the Meghalaya Forest Regulation, 1973, in connection with the medical college land.
Beyond USTM, the CEC also raised alarm over illegal quarrying, mining, and crushing operations across Ri-Bhoi district, recommending their immediate suspension pending a comprehensive review.
The report was submitted in relation to a case concerning widespread ecological degradation in Meghalaya and its cross-border impact on Assam, particularly Guwahati. Its findings bring fresh scrutiny to USTM, which had earlier denied Sarma’s allegations of “flood jihad” in 2023, even as the state continues to grapple with recurring floods linked to deforestation and unchecked hill-cutting.
