Shillong, September 16, 2025 – Uranium Mining Issue Resurfaces in Meghalaya

After years of relative silence, the uranium mining debate in Meghalaya has reignited, with fresh concerns emerging over the Union Government’s recent policy moves.

The National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) has written to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, expressing alarm at the Centre’s relaxation of rules that previously required mandatory public hearings under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, for projects involving critical, strategic, and atomic minerals — including uranium.

The NPYF emphasized that the EIA Notification, framed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, makes public hearings a crucial step before granting clearance to mining projects, as they provide affected communities a platform to raise concerns over environmental and livelihood impacts. The Supreme Court, too, has ruled that such hearings must not be treated as a mere “formality.”

The youth body criticized the new centralized appraisal process, under which Expert Appraisal Committees (EACs) rely solely on data submitted by project developers, leaving little room for incorporating local perspectives and traditional knowledge. This, the NPYF warned, could obscure the real impacts of mining on land, water, crops, and community life.

Citing global data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which indicates that nearly 54% of critical mineral reserves lie within indigenous and tribal territories, the NPYF cautioned that bypassing public consultations risks environmental degradation and could trigger widespread social unrest.

The organization urged both the Central and State Governments to ensure that India’s Critical Mineral Mission does not override indigenous rights or compromise environmental safeguards. It called for policies that strike a balance between mineral exploitation, social consensus, and sustainable development.

Bajop Pyngrope, Working President of the NPYF, warned that failing to act responsibly could open the door for uranium mining projects in Meghalaya without proper consultation or community consent.

The NPYF also announced plans to engage with the Union Government through the State Government to ensure that the voices of the people are heard in any decision-making process regarding uranium mining in the state.