Shillong, Oct 22: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has passed a resolution to urge the Centre to exclude tribal areas under KHADC from an office memorandum (OM) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC).
The MoEFCC notification which exempts public consultations and hearings for mining projects involving atomic minerals like uranium has raised serious concern in various quarters in Meghalaya.
While tabling the resolution, KHADC chief Winston Tony Lyngdoh said, “Therefore, this House hereby resolves to urge upon the concerned Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Government of India to exclude the application of the aforesaid Office Memorandum dated 8th September 2025, within the Tribal Areas of the Khasi Hills District.”
He said the MoEFCC has issued the OM whereby all mining projects of atomic minerals notified in Part B and critical and strategic minerals notified in Part D of the First Schedule of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023, shall be exempted from Public Consultation under sub-clause (f) of Clause 7(III) (i) of EIA Notification Dt 14.8.2006 to facilitate the early operationalization of mining projects with respect to Atomic Minerals, and Critical and Strategic Minerals.
“Whereas, the said Memorandum is perceived as an infringement on the age-old customs and traditions of the Indigenous Tribal Communities and viewed as an encroachment upon our ancestral homeland to exploit our land and resources without our consent, thereby exposing our people and environment to grave health and ecological hazards,” Lyngdoh added.
The CEM stated that the OM would deprive indigenous people of their rights to express opposition. He argued that this would lead to land grabbing and environmental destruction.
Lyngdoh informed that the KHADC had earlier written to the Secretary of the Ministry, demanding exemption of land under the jurisdiction of the district council from the implementation of the OM.
Supporting the resolution, opposition leader Titosstarwell Chyne has stated that the office memorandum issued by the Centre on September 8 would have far-reaching consequences for the state, effectively silencing the voice of the indigenous people by doing away with public hearings.
Chyne emphasized that the people of the state, including the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), have consistently opposed uranium mining. He pointed out that the Centre has repeatedly attempted to mine uranium in the state, but has been met with stiff opposition from the people.
Chyne suggested that the Executive Committee (EC) should demand the withdrawal of the OM, rather than just seeking exclusion of areas under the jurisdiction of the KHADC.
He argued that if the EC only demands exclusion, it would imply that uranium mining is allowed in other areas, such as Jaintia Hills or Garo Hills.
“This office memorandum will affect the entire state, so to say exclude Khasi Hills, the resolution is not strong enough. Therefore, I suggest that we demand withdrawal of the OM,” Chyne said.
