Shillong, Aug 26: The Meghalaya Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution opposing uranium mining in the state.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, was backed cutting across party lines.
The Chief Minister said tribal areas are under Sixth Schedule where land is held under community, clan and customary tenure, and allotment and use falls under Autonomous District Councils. He cited Supreme Court July 2019 ruling that tribals own both surface and sub-soil rights.
He said uranium deposits are identified in West and South West Khasi Hills districts, including the Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong-Mawthabah (KPM) project, where UCIL proposes open-cast mining and ore processing plant.
The area receives exceptionally high rainfall, has steep terrain, is landslide-prone and forms catchment of streams and rivers supporting drinking water, agriculture, fisheries and livelihoods. Containment of overburden, tailings and effluent in such conditions has not been demonstrated to community satisfaction and health has been impacted, he said.
Sangma said free, prior and informed consent was never obtained and no uranium mining lease has ever been granted. He also pointed out that the resolution was necessitated after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change office memorandum of September 8, 2025 exempting atomic mineral mining from public consultation under EIA Notification 2006. He noted Union MoS Atomic Energy stated in Shillong that no decision has been taken and matter is under examination.
Leader of Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma recalled pressure to allow mining when he became the chief minister in 2010 and credited then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for heeding people’s voice. He said any uranium mining impacts overall well-being and health ramifications are well documented. He said government should map deposits to inform landowners.
UDP MLA Paul Lyngdoh called it historic and urged incorporation of historical safeguards to “weld shut” uranium mining forever. He said Khasi states acceded to India via Instrument of Accession but never signed Instrument of Merger, retaining rights over forests, land, water and revenue, and were never annexed even by British.
He recalled opposing experimental mining in 2004 as Cabinet minister and a study tour to Jaduguda.
VPP MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit said he was convinced of dangers only after visiting Jaduguda where people suffered diseases. He questioned fate of resolution citing 2019 ILP resolution still pending, and asked how critical Centre’s need for Meghalaya uranium is and whether alternatives exist.
