The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC), South West Khasi Hill District, on Saturday said that certain remarks made by politicians that mining uranium will bring development to the area are wrong.
“Such statements are immature and they don’t have the understanding of uranium mining nor development,” Arbok Kharjahrin, president, HYC, South West Khasi Hill district said.
“Having concrete structures and roads are only infrastructures, this is not development,” Kharjahrin said.
He said that the realisation of any development should not be counted through such achievements.
He said that if uranium is mined those living in the vicinity would be chased out of their houses because one cannot stay near the site.
“Firstly people will be displaced, then should this be called development or displacement,” Kharjahrin asked.
He also said that if roads are constructed in the Uranium sites like Mawthabah, Nongbah – Jynrin or Phlangdiloin this will be for the benefit of the UCIL not for the villagers since people living in the vicinity would have been displaced.
“All we will get is radiation, sickness which can’t be cured, water without fish, deserted villages and the future generations which will give births to children which are deformed. Is this development?” he said.
