SHILLONG: The Leader of the Opposition in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Titosstarwell Chyne, has urged the Executive Committee (EC) to adopt a stronger Resolution that clearly declares uranium mining will not be permitted anywhere in Meghalaya.
Titos made this call while supporting a Resolution moved by the Chief Executive Member (CEM), Winston Tony Lyngdoh, which appealed to the Central Government not to implement the Office Memorandum (OM) issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) regarding the cancellation of Public Hearings for uranium mining projects.
It may be recalled that on October 8, 2025, the MoEFCC (Impact Assessment Division) issued an OM stating that a Public Hearing would no longer be mandatory for uranium mining proposals.
In response, during its Winter session, the KHADC unanimously adopted a Resolution to be forwarded to the MoEFCC and the Government of India, urging that the tribal areas under the Khasi Hills District be exempted from the purview of the OM.
Highlighting the importance of the move, CEM Winston Lyngdoh warned that implementing the OM could have grave implications for the State, particularly in areas known to contain uranium deposits.
“The issuance of this OM amounts to an encroachment upon our land and an attempt to extract mineral resources—especially uranium—without the consent of landowners and the people of Meghalaya,” said Winston.
He further cautioned that scrapping Public Hearings would endanger lives, as uranium mining poses serious health and environmental risks to both humans and livestock.
Supporting the Resolution, Titosstarwell Chyne reminded the House that the people of Meghalaya have long stood united in opposing uranium mining. He expressed concern that the OM seeks to “silence the public” by removing the mandatory consultation process.
“Without a Public Hearing, the public loses its voice to object. And if people are silenced, the Government of India will have a free hand to mine uranium in the State,” he said.
Calling for a stronger stance, the Opposition Leader suggested revising the Resolution’s wording to explicitly state that the OM should not be implemented anywhere in Meghalaya, not just in the tribal areas.
“If it were up to the EC, it should send a Resolution demanding the outright withdrawal of the OM,” Titos concluded.
