Shillong: A coalition of pressure groups from Chokpot has slammed the South Garo Hills District Administration for allegedly issuing a misleading statement concerning suspected uranium and illegal mining activities in the region.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, six organisations — the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), A·chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM), Garo Land State Movement Committee (GSMC), A·chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO), Chokpot Area Vigilance Committee (CAVC) and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) — said the administration’s claim that no complaints were raised by NGOs or the public during a recent site visit was “completely false and misleading.”
The groups maintained that representatives from several NGOs and local residents had, in fact, voiced strong objections during the inspection, citing concerns over illegal extraction and possible radioactive activity in areas near Pharomgre and Asakgre.
They further alleged that the inspection lacked scientific credibility, as no geological or radiation experts were present to examine suspicious rock formations or verify the nature of materials found at the site.
Following the visit, the NGOs said they had formally submitted a written complaint to the Deputy Commissioner of South Garo Hills, urging the immediate halt of all mining operations and demanding an independent scientific investigation into the matter.
The organisations also accused the government of bypassing the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) a violation, they said, of constitutional provisions that grant the council authority over land, forests, and mineral resources within the Sixth Schedule area.
They called upon the government to retract its “false” statement and to take transparent action to curb illegal mining in Chokpot. The groups warned that continued negligence would compel them to take “strong and democratic measures” to safeguard local land, water, and environmental resources.
“Any attempt to carry out mining activities without the GHADC’s consent undermines the constitutional rights and traditional self-governance of the Garo people,” the statement concluded.
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