SHILLONG: Raising fresh concerns over what it described as renewed attempts to revive uranium mining in Meghalaya, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) alleged that prominent people, including former legislators, have been approaching residents of Domiasiat and adjoining villages in West Khasi Hills to persuade them to support uranium extraction while quietly purchasing land at throwaway prices, a development the student body claimed indicates that the controversial mining proposal remains active despite repeated political assurances that it has been shelved.
Introducing its newly elected unit at Domiasiat, the KSU reiterated its unwavering opposition to uranium mining and called upon the Meghalaya Government to back its public assurances with legislative action by passing a resolution in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly against uranium mining in Domiasiat and adjoining areas. The union also urged all autonomous district councils to adopt similar resolutions, asserting that such measures would clearly demonstrate the government’s commitment to preventing any future attempt to revive the long-contentious project.
KSU president Raymond Kharjana said the issue had already been raised with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma during a meeting on July 1 and that the union had pressed for an Assembly resolution to formally rule out uranium mining.
“Our purpose to visit here is to clearly send a message to the state Government as a present Central Executive Committee of Khasi Students Union will fight against the Mining of Uranium in Domiasiat and adjacent areas. These past couple of days, we heard rumours of people coming to this area and trying to persuade the people to come into the decision for Mining of Uranium. This is a clear message to all those people that KSU will not remain mum on the issue and it will fight tooth and nail until uranium mining project is completely scrapped from the state,” Kharjana said.
“We have brought up this matter with the chief minister Conrad K Sangma on the 1st July and during the meeting we have pushed for resolution to be passed in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly against the Mining of Uranium at Domiasiat and adjoining areas. First is that the government should show it’s seriousness regarding this matter by passing a resolution in the house. As of now, we are urging the government and all District Councils to pass a resolution. Further steps will be discussed by the CEC,” he added.
Alleging that influential people were quietly acquiring land in the uranium-bearing belt, Kharjana said the union had received information from local residents that former legislators were attempting to persuade villagers to support uranium mining while simultaneously purchasing land at low prices.
“We heard from the people that many people mostly former MLAs have come down to this locality and the adjacent areas and tried to persuade people to come to a decision for Uranium Mining in this area. At the same time they are buying lands at a cheaper rate,” The KSU president said.
“This is not a tourism area, nor is it an area where you have coal or limestone. But Our question is: what is the purpose of buying land in these areas? As far as we know, the sole purpose of buying land here is that this land is being bought to be sold at a higher rate to other agencies for uranium mining in the coming years,” he alleged.
Before the meeting, KSU leaders paid tribute to late Spility Lyngdoh Langrin.
KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar alleged that land acquisition patterns witnessed in industrial areas of Jaintia Hills could be repeated in Domiasiat if preventive safeguards were not put in place.
“What we have seen in Jaintia Hills, especially in areas where cement factories and plants are located, is that people buy land and then sell it to different companies. There have been various violations of the Land Transfer Act in this regard. But the subject matter ultimately depends on the government. It is for them to grant sanction,” Najiar said.
He also expressed concern over what he described as changes in the regulatory framework governing strategic minerals, claiming that uranium mining could proceed without public consultation.
“And when it comes to uranium in this particular area, we have seen that the Ministry of Forest and Environment has issued a memorandum stating that minerals like uranium and thorium will be kept out of the purview of public hearings. The Government of India, citing reasons of national security, will be able to mine uranium without a public hearing and without the consent of the people. This itself is one of the dangers,” he said.
Najiar further alleged that the union has information suggesting that former legislators and other influential personalities have already acquired land in the area, though it is continuing to gather documentary evidence through applications filed under the Right to Information Act.
“We have also seen that people, including former MLAs, whom we know but do not want to spill out the names at this stage because we are still filing different RTIs to obtain complete information in black and white, we will share the names later, have come and bought land in these areas. It is very concrete that former MLAs have come and buy land here. There are also people associated with the government, prominent figures, who have come here and tried to persuade the people to sell their land,” the KSU leader said.
He said the people of Domiasiat have consistently opposed uranium mining and continue to reject attempts to alter their position.
He further said, “What we have seen is that the people of Domiasiat, since the beginning, have been stating that they will not allow UCIL to mine uranium. Even now, when prominent state or Central figures come here to persuade them, their reply is very clear: they will not allow it.”
Claiming that land purchases were being routed through intermediaries to facilitate future transfers, the KSU General Secretary said, “What we understand is that they are trying to get some local people from here to buy the land from them. Once they buy the land, they will become the owners and then they can sell it. And now, because there will be no more public hearings, it will be easier for them.”
“All these things shows the uranium mining chapter is not over yet, although in the previous years we have seen that the chapter of uranium mining is closed even the former Chief Minister and the present chief Minister have stated that but it’s only in letter but what about spirit? The promises are made that we will not allow but the transaction that are happening points that the things are going in a different direction. So this clearly shows that the intention to mine Uranium is very much alive,” he added.
Issuing a stern warning to those allegedly trying to mobilise support for uranium mining, Najiar said, “We would like to give a clear message to the prominent figures in the government including former legislators or any other people who come to persuade people from Domiasiat and other adjacent areas to allow Uranium Mining will tell them if you don’t have any kind of responsibility towards Khasi people then as union also we will not have any responsibility towards you.”
