Shillong, Aug 26: The united stand taken by the Assembly sent a strong and unequivocal message that the people of Meghalaya did not want uranium mining or any uranium ore-processing facility in the state, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said after adoption of the resolution on Wednesday.
Thanking MLAs across party lines for supporting the resolution and setting aside political differences, he said, “The resolution had now formally placed the collective position of the state and its people on record.”
“The government would communicate the Assembly’s decision to the Centre and urge it to respect the sentiments and constitutional rights of Meghalaya’s tribal communities”, he said.
Sangma also stressed Meghalaya’s distinctive landholding system, under which land and mineral rights are closely connected to customary ownership and the protections provided by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
According to the Chief Minister, the resolution was not merely about uranium mining but also about safeguarding the environment, traditional land rights and the interests of future generations.
