Guwahati, March 18 -- The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a Supreme Court-constituted body, has rejected a refund plea by Dalmia Cement (Northeast) Ltd.

Dalmia Cement (Northeast) Ltd, a subsidiary of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd, sought the return of Rs. 56.85 crore paid towards forest conservation charges for its limestone mine at New Umrangshu in Assam's Dima Hasao district.

The decision, detailed in the CEC's report on Application No. 1575 of 2024, concludes that the land in question aligns with the definition of "forest" as per Supreme Court guidelines, dismissing the company's claim that it was wrongly classified as forest land.

Background of the Dispute

Dalmia Cement (North East) Ltd., a major cement manufacturer operating 15 p...