Meghalaya’s Khasi communities oppose New Delhi's mining plans
A memorandum from the Union Ministry of the Environment has exempted mining projects from public consultations, reigniting tensions in a state that holds 16 per cent of the country’s uranium reserves. For decades, the Khasi Students' Union has led the movement against mining, speaking out against the risks to human health and to the environment. Local communities are calling for a permanent moratorium, while the Union government intends to pursue its nuclear plans.
Shillong (AsiaNews) – Concern is growing among tribal and civil society groups in Meghalaya following the release of a memorandum from the Union Ministry of the Environment exempting uranium mining from mandatory public consultations and hearings.
The measure has reignited tensions in a state that holds one of India's largest uranium reserves, drawing attention to the interaction of regional mining policy and the nuclear plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
Meghalaya holds approximately 13,000 tonnes of uranium, or 16 per cent of India’s total reserves. Exploration operations began in 1996 after studies confirmed the presence of significant deposits in the Domiasiat and Wahkaji districts. The Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) was commissioned to begin open-pit mining.
Since the 1980s, the Khasi community, which represents 80 per cent of the state's population, has staunchly opposed any mining project. The Khasi Students' Union has led the movement, highlighting the serious risks to human health and to the environment.
Mining backers are pushing residents to give up their land to build the new mining infrastructure. But opponents warn that the social and environmental costs would be enormous: radioactive contamination, loss of ancestral lands, and the risk of forced displacement.
The ministry's recent decision to exclude uranium mining from public consultations confirms the Indian government's commitment to expanding uranium mining, a trend expected to grow in the coming years.
This is not the first time the central government has intervened decisively on the uranium issue. In Jharkhand, UCIL has been mining in the Singhbhum district for decades, not without tensions.
Public hearings for the opening of new mines have often generated protests over radiation exposure and the loss of livelihoods. Furthermore, residents accuse the Corporation of publishing notices in languages they do not understand and systematically ignoring their objections.
The Khasi community reiterates its opposition to mining, which it considers a significant threat to both human health and to the environment.
Although the 36 MLAs[*] representing constituencies in the Khasi and Jaiǹtia Hills have spoken out publicly about the need to protect the local population and the land, so far no one has introduced a resolution in the State Assembly calling for a permanent moratorium on mining.
For their part, local groups have reiterated their demand for a permanent halt to mining, emphasising that resistance to the mine will remain alive and determined.
[*] Member of the Legislative Assembly
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30/10/2008
28/07/2023 18:15
