Khasi Hills Council Rejects Centre’s Uranium Mining Move, Citing Threat to Tribal and Environmental Rights

Shillong: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has voiced strong opposition to the central government’s recent decision permitting uranium and atomic mineral mining in tribal areas without the need for public hearings.

During a special session held in Shillong, the Council unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) new policy, which removes the requirement for community consultation in projects involving “strategic” or “critical” minerals.

KHADC Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh, who introduced the motion, said the policy undermines both tribal self-governance and environmental safeguards. He warned that allowing mining without public consent could have “irreversible social and ecological consequences” for indigenous communities that depend on the land for their livelihoods.

“The voice of the people cannot be ignored in matters that directly impact their health, heritage, and environment,” Lyngdoh stated, emphasising that the Council would not permit uranium exploration within its jurisdiction.

Councillors also raised concerns about the potential risks posed by uranium extraction, citing radiation hazards, contamination of water sources, and disruption to the region’s delicate ecosystem. Opposition members urged the government to roll back the policy altogether, arguing that all tribal regions — not just the Khasi Hills — deserve equal protection.

The KHADC resolution calls on the Centre to withdraw or amend the memorandum so that the policy does not apply to Sixth Schedule areas in Meghalaya. The Council will formally forward its decision to the Union government in the coming days.

The move marks one of the strongest statements yet by a tribal body in the Northeast against the Centre’s push to accelerate mineral exploration. Local organisations have also joined in expressing concern that bypassing public consultation erodes transparency and threatens the constitutional safeguards meant to protect tribal land and identity.

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