J. Venkatesan New Delhi: Making it clear that the French company Lafarge should comply with Indian laws and get a fresh Environment Impact Assessment done for its limestone mines in Meghalaya forests, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to vacate its stay on mining operations. A Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices S.H. Kapadia and Aftab Alam said it would not permit mining unless the cement company obtained environment clearance as per the guidelines of the Central Empowered Committee. Why exception? When Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati submitted a proposal for payment of compensation of about Rs. 55 crore and Rs. 10 crore every year, senior counsel Fali Nariman, appearing for Lafarge, said it was acceptable to the company. When Mr. Vahanvati pleaded for allowing mining operations, Justice Kapadia told him: