Mallangkona: Residents of Mallangkona in West Khasi Hills have raised serious objections to iron ore drilling activities initiated by a company in the village of Chual Napram (Werang Abri) under Nonglang.
The company, reportedly consisting of Meghalaya residents, began drilling without consulting the local community, causing widespread concern.
The controversy began when operators arrived in the village, claiming they had state permission to prospect for iron ore. Villagers, led by senior citizens and youth organisations from at least 25 surrounding villages, visited the site on May 23.
The residents witnessed large drilling machines extracting samples. They immediately demanded that the drilling cease, citing the lack of local permissions and potential environmental damage, particularly to the area’s water table and catchment areas that supply water to all 24 villages.
“When we contacted the prospectors, they stated that they had prospecting permission from the state and the mining department. However, other than one village headman, Madan Jira, who provided permission, all the others had not been consulted at all. This is a very serious matter and concerns the entire population living in the area. We told them we would not allow such a transgression on our lands,” said Enos G. Momin, a local resident.
During their site visit, villagers found drilling had reached depths of 57 meters, with numerous sample boxes containing various types of stones and mud. The prospectors, when confronted, initially failed to produce documents proving their claims but promised to return with the required permissions.
On the morning of May 27, a large group of villagers gathered at the Mallangkona Outpost to discuss the issue with the prospectors. The villagers reiterated their objections, highlighting the irreversible environmental damage that mining could cause. The prospectors then produced a prospecting license showing a composite mining license valid for 50 years over an area of 496 hectares.
“If mining is carried out in our area for 50 years, we will have nothing to live on. Our children will have nothing to live on. The catchment we have for our coming generations will be gone and no matter what they give us in return, we will not get back what we have lost in more than a century. The site of the mining may not even be 200 meters from the site of the mining. So, what do you do then,” asked members of the GSU – Aradonga unit, who were also part of the talks,” stated members of the GSU – Aradonga unit, who were also part of the talks.
The prospectors assured the villagers that future steps would involve consultations with all stakeholders and that no further actions would be taken without the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and public meetings. However, the villagers remained unconvinced and opposed to the project.
“They may get all the permissions that are required but we will still not allow something like iron ore mining in our area. We care about our flora and fauna as well as the future of our children and our lives. As such we will not allow mining in our lands this way. We urge the state government to look into the matter and ensure our lives are not hampered this way,” added members of the Mallangkona Area Development Organization (MADO).
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The Mallangkona Youth Multipurpose Society (MYMS) also asserted that despite any clearances obtained, they would stand firm against the mining activities.
The villagers plan to write complaints to various departments, including the Chief Minister’s office, and the mining and forest departments. If their concerns are not addressed, they are prepared to escalate their agitation to protect their land and future.
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