Meghalaya: KHADC opposes public hearing exemption for uranium mining

Guwahati: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has passed a resolution opposing a controversial government directive that eliminates the requirement for public consultations before uranium mining in tribal areas.

Council members voiced concern over a memorandum issued in September by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which exempts mining projects involving atomic minerals, including uranium, from mandatory public hearings.

The directive covers minerals listed under the amended Mines and Minerals Act of 2023 and aims to speed up approvals for resources the government considers critical and strategic.

During the council session on October 22, Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh presented the resolution, describing the policy as a serious threat to indigenous rights and environmental safety.

He argued that the memorandum disregards longstanding tribal customs by allowing resource extraction without community consent, potentially exposing local populations to significant health and ecological risks.

The council formally requested that tribal areas under its jurisdiction be excluded from the directive’s scope.

Lyngdoh also noted that officials had previously written to the ministry seeking such exemptions but had not received a satisfactory response.

Opposition leader Titosstarwell Chyne, however, criticized the resolution as insufficient. He argued that seeking exemptions solely for Khasi Hills territories could be interpreted as tacit approval for uranium mining in neighboring tribal areas such as the Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.

Chyne called for the full withdrawal of the memorandum, highlighting that indigenous communities across the state have consistently opposed uranium extraction initiatives.

Chyne warned that eliminating public hearings would silence tribal voices on decisions directly affecting their ancestral lands.

He stressed that the policy’s implications extend beyond the Khasi Hills, posing risks to the broader tribal population across the state.

He also reminded that past attempts by the central government to establish uranium mining in the region met with strong local opposition, reflecting widespread apprehensions about the environmental and social impacts of the industry.