Shillong, Jul 5: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has claimed that some ex-legislators and other individuals are trying to buy land in uranium-rich Domiasiat and adjoining areas in South West Khasi Hills, a move the pressure group believes is linked to future uranium mining in the region.
Members of the body visited Domiasiat on Saturday to make clear their opposition to uranium mining in the area.
The delegation was led by president Raymond Kharjana and general secretary Reuben Anderson Najiar and included volunteers from various circles and units as well as former members.
The KSU also laid wreaths at the cemetery of Spility Lyngdoh Langrin, who is revered for her stance against uranium.
Later, speaking to reporters, Kharjana said that the sole purpose to visit the area was to send a message to the state government that the KSU will fight tooth and nail against uranium mining.
“This is a clear message to all those people that the KSU will not remain mum on the issue and it will fight tooth and nail until this project is completely scrapped from the state,” he said.
According to him, residents of the area said that some ex-legislator recently visited the area trying to persuade people to come to a decision for uranium mining there. He said that some people are buying land at cheap rates.
“This is not a tourism area or where one can find coal or limestone. Our question is what is the purpose of buying land in this area? The sole purpose of buying, as far as our knowledge, is that lands are being bought to be sold at a high rate to other agencies for mining of uranium in later days and years,” he said.
Najiar gave the example of Jaintia Hills where there are cement plants. He said that people bought land there and then sold them to cement companies for a profit.
Kharjana stated that during a recent meeting with the Chief Minister the KSU pushed the state government to adopt a resolution in the assembly against mining of uranium. The union will also push the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council on the same.
“There has been various instances of violation of the Land Transfer Act and when it comes to uranium in this particular area, the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment passed a memorandum stating that, minerals like uranium and thorium, these will be out of the purview of public hearings and the Centre cited national security as the reason. Therefore it will be able to mine uranium without the people’s consent,” Najiar said.
He stated that the residents of Domiasiat from the very beginning are against the mining of uranium and therefore indigenous people are being used to buy land from the residents and, once bought, they will be able to sell off the land, which will pave the way for uranium extraction.
