Shillong, August 26: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mr. Conrad K Sangma brought official resolution in the third day of the Autumn Session of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to opposed any form of Uranium Mining in the state of Meghalaya.
The resolution that was read by the Chief Minister in the floor of the house, Whereas the tribal areas of the State of Meghalaya are administered under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India, land within the autonomous districts is held predominantly under community, clan and individual customary tenure, the allotment, occupation and use of such land falls within the legislative competence of the Autonomous District Councils under paragraph 3 of the Sixth Schedule, the transfer of land is regulated by the Meghalaya transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 and;
Whereas the Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No. 10720 of 2018 in State of Meghalaya Vs All Dimasa Students union. Dima – Hasao District Committee and Ors vide their judgement dated 3rd July 2019 have clearly held that in Meghalaya the private owners of land as well as community owners have both the surface right as well as sub – soil right thus the tribals in the State owned the land and also owned the minerals;
Whereas uranium bearing minerals have been identified in the Domiasiat, Wahkyn and Lostoin areas of the West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts, and the Kylleng Pyndengsohiong Mawthabah and Uranium Mining Project of the Uranium Corporation of India Limited contemplates open cast mining of uranium ore and the establishment of an ore processing plant within that areas;
Whereas the said area receives exceptionally high rainfall, is of step terrain and is susceptible to landslide, and forms the catchment of streams and rivers on which drinking water, agriculture. Fisheries and livelihoods depend over a wide area, and the containment of overburden, mill tailings and process effluent in such conditions over the periods involved has not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the affected communities to be capable of assurance;
Whereas the people of the State have, through their traditional institutions, the Autonomous District Councils, student and civic society organizations and their elected representatives, have consistently opposed the mining of uranium in the State; the free, prior and informed consent of the effected communities has at no stage been obtained; and no mining lease for uranium has at any time been granted in the State;
Whereas the office Memorandum dated the 8th September, 2025 of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, exempts mining projects of atomic minerals notified in Part b of the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 from public consultation under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2026;
And whereas the Union Minister of State in charge of the Department of Atomic Energy has stated in Shillong that no decision has been taken on the mining of uranium in the State of Meghalaya and that the matter is under examination;
Now, therefore, this House records the opposition of the people of the State of Meghalaya to the mining of uranium and to establishment of any uranium ore processing facility within the State.
This House resolves to urge the Government of India, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited not to permit, pursue or undertake any uranium mining operation in the State of Meghalaya including under the Kylleng Pyndengsohiong Mawthabah Uranium Mining Project, and to close any activity of Uranium mining anywhere in the State.
Before the speaker put the resolution before seeking the approval of the house, the members of the house were allowed to express their opinion on the resolution, the members who has taken party the Leader of the opposition Dr. Mukul Sangma, Mr. Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, Mr. R L Tongkhar, Mr. Paul Lyngdoh, Mr. O S Suin.
