Several organizations across Meghalaya are strongly criticizing a recent decision by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change to exempt uranium mining from mandatory public discussions. This directive has raised significant alarm among locals, particularly given that Meghalaya is home to some of India’s largest uranium reserves, found in areas like Domiasiat and Wahkaji within the West Khasi Hills district. For decades, residents here have successfully pushed back against attempts to explore and extract this radioactive material, driven by serious concerns about its impact on health and the environment.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), a key player in the long-standing anti-uranium movement, has reaffirmed its unwavering opposition to any new mining initiatives in the state. According to the KSU president, Lambokstar Marngar, the memorandum that removes atomic, critical, and strategic minerals from public hearing requirements under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act is deeply troubling. He described this exemption as a direct attack on the rights of indigenous communities, vowing to resist any renewed efforts to mine uranium in Meghalaya.
Echoing these sentiments, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council, another prominent Khasi community group, views the office memorandum as a blatant attempt by the central government to proceed with uranium extraction at any cost. This comes after years of failed attempts to persuade local communities to surrender their lands. A spokesperson for the youth body stated that this is a calculated strategy to strip people of their land and resource rights, and to expose them to the inherent dangers of uranium mining. They highlighted the suffering experienced by communities in Jharkhand’s Jaduguda, where radioactivity from uranium mining has caused severe health issues, as a cautionary tale.
The National People’s Youth Front, the youth wing of Meghalaya’s ruling party, also voiced strong criticism against the controversial memorandum. The Front urged the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to invoke the protective provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, aiming to safeguard the rights of the tribal populations residing in the uranium-rich regions of the state.