Shillong, July 4: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has called on the Meghalaya Government and the state’s three Autonomous District Councils to adopt formal resolutions opposing uranium mining in Domiasiat, South West Khasi Hills district, and across Meghalaya.
Addressing the media on Friday, KSU president Raymond Kharjana said the Union had received information suggesting that certain individuals, including former legislators, had recently visited the Domiasiat area to allegedly pressure local residents into selling their land.
Kharjana expressed concern that such land transactions could be linked to attempts to facilitate future uranium mining activities in the region.
He stressed that Domiasiat and its surrounding villages are not tourist destinations and alleged that some individuals may be purchasing land with the intention of later transferring it to companies interested in uranium extraction.
“We want to send a clear message that the KSU will never allow uranium mining in Domiasiat or any of the surrounding villages,” Kharjana asserted.
The KSU president also revealed that a delegation of the Union met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on July 1 and urged the state government to pass a resolution in the Legislative Assembly formally opposing uranium mining in Meghalaya.
According to Kharjana, the government must demonstrate its commitment to opposing uranium mining through concrete action and not merely through public statements.
“At present, we are demanding that the state government and all three District Councils pass resolutions opposing uranium mining in Domiasiat and throughout Meghalaya. The Central Executive Council of the KSU will decide on further steps after deliberations,” he said.
Meanwhile, KSU General Secretary Ruben Naijar claimed that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had approved an Office Memorandum (OM) in March 2025 which, according to him, states that public hearings and consent from local landowners are no longer required for uranium and thorium mining projects.
Expressing concern over the development, Naijar reaffirmed the Union’s support for the residents of Domiasiat and vowed to oppose any attempt to initiate uranium mining in the area, whether by the state or central government.
“The KSU stands firmly with the people of Domiasiat in resisting any move to extract uranium from their land,” he said.
Naijar also recalled the long history of resistance against uranium mining in the region. He noted that the people of Domiasiat, under the leadership of the late social activist Spility Lyngdoh Langrin, had strongly opposed attempts by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to undertake uranium mining in the area, despite reportedly being offered substantial financial incentives.
The KSU reiterated that it remains committed to safeguarding the interests of local communities and protecting Meghalaya’s environment from the potential risks associated with uranium extraction.
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