Shillong, Sept 29: The state government has allayed fears over a government of India notification granting exemption from public hearing on matters related to uranium mining, citing Meghalaya being a Sixth Schedule state won’t come under purview of such orders.
Making the government’s stand clear on uranium mining, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said no such activities will be permitted in the state.
Political parties and NGOs had earlier expressed apprehension over the notification that allegedly sought to forcibly mine uranium in the state.
The Office Memorandum (OM) issued on September 8 by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) exempted public consultations and hearings for mining projects involving atomic minerals like uranium, a crucial component of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
The pressure groups have also demanded for a special session of the state assembly to be convened to pass a resolution opposing any move to mine uranium in Meghalaya.
“People should not be alarmed by the office memorandum, as the state government remains resolute in its stance against uranium mining in Meghalaya,” Tynsong said.
“Our land is protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and ownership rests with the autonomous district councils, traditional chiefs, and individuals. Without their consent, the state government cannot grant permission for uranium mining,” he clarified while also referring to the ruling of the Supreme Court in 2019.
“I want to reassure the people that the state government will not permit the implementation of the MoEFCC’s office memorandum,” Tynsong said.
Pointing out that the issue of uranium mining is effectively closed in Meghalaya, given the strong opposition from landowners and district councils, he said the state government remains committed to upholding this stance and ensuring that uranium mining is not allowed in the state.
If needed, the state government will write to the Centre to exempt Meghalaya from the MoEFCC’s OM, he said.
Tynsong also assured to deliberate on the issue in the next cabinet meeting.
“I can assure you that the state government’s stance on uranium mining will remain unchanged – we say no to uranium mining,” he said.
