SHILLONG: The three regional parties – UDP, HSPDP and KHNAM – have reiterated their opposition to mining of uranium in the State in their manifestoes for the upcoming district council elections.
While the anti-uranium mining stand features among the top agenda in the manifestos of the HSPDP and KHNAM, it is not directly mentioned in the UDP’s list of promises even as the party claims that the issue is covered under the strengthening of the existing laws of the Council.
UDP secretary Allantry F Dkhar said, “The issue of uranium mining is covered under the agenda of the strengthening of the existing laws. One may recall that the party had earlier sought a blue print on the matter.”
UDP’s top priority if voted to power would be to provide corruption free governance in the district council, Dkhar said.
“The major issues highlighted in the UDP manifesto in the last Assembly election still stands good,” Dkhar said, adding that the party is expected to release its manifesto on Tuesday.
KHNAM president Pyndapborthiaw Saibon said the party was consistent in its opposition to the mining of uranium in the State which is reflected in the manifesto.
Highlighting the top priorities in the party manifesto which will be released on Monday, Saibon said that the party would press to revoke Para 12 A of the Sixth Schedule which supposedly weakens the functioning of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
“We would stop issuing fresh trading licenses especially for businesses which the indigenous people have been able to carry out on their own,” the KHNAM president said adding that the party would also demand strict implementation of the apex court ruling that a non-tribal man, married to a tribal woman, or their children cannot claim the benefits local people are entitled to.
While stating that the party would continue to oppose uranium mining in the State, HSPDP spokesperson G Nonglong said the main feature of the party’s manifesto, however, is the protection of land and resources of the indigenous people as mandated in the Sixth Schedule. “Our priority is to safeguard the traditional culture and practices. We want to give special protection to the traditional institutions,” Nonglong said.
He informed that the party would not publicly release the manifesto which has been distributed to the candidates who would highlight its key points during their election campaigns.