Shillong, Sep 19: In the face of a recent Office Memorandum (OM) issued by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry exempting uranium mining from mandatory public consultations, the National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) has sought the intervention of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to invoke provisions of the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal rights.
NPYF, the state ruling party’s youth wing, had in recent days not been at ease with the OM dated September 8, 2025 that projects related to “national defence, security needs and strategic considerations” require no comments from the general public.
NPYF working president Bajop Pyngrope met with KHADC Chief Executive Member Shemborlang Rynjah and said eliminating public participation will weaken oversight and marginalise communities most affected by mining projects.
Pyngrope said the CEM assured them the matter would be examined and taken up with Council officials.
The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has also expressed concern, accusing the Centre of devising a tactic to mine uranium.
“The Government of India has devised tactics to silence opposition, violating the right to freedom of speech and to have a say on our land and minerals under it, and the right to live without being affected by the threat posed by the extraction of this resource from our land,” HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said.
He said the Centre has been trying for decades to extract uranium from the state, but due to the vigilance and perseverance of the villagers in the area, where this mineral resource is located, this effort of the centre has not succeeded.
The HYC urged the indigenous people of the state not to be discouraged by such tactics and not to give up fighting against such threats, which can affect the community.
“However, if the time and place demands us to stand up, to fight hard, to fight against the expropriation of this mineral from our beloved land, we must be ready to come forward, to unite and fight without hesitation for the sake of protecting and preserving our land,” Synrem added.
Meghalaya has 23,268 tons of uranium deposits of which the maximum is in the Domiasiat area of South West Khasi Hills. The Kylleng – Pyndengsohiong – Mawthabah area in Domiasiat has 9,500 tons of uranium deposits. Another area where huge deposit of uranium was found was Wahkyn – Wahkut where the deposit is 9,764 tons. Four areas have small deposits of uranium. They include Gomaghat – Phlangdiloin (1,000 tons), Umthongkut (1,535 tons), Tyrnai (600 tons) and Lostoin (869 tons).
