MAWKYRWAT: The public hearing on the Nongstoin-Wahkaji-Ranikor two-lane road project at Mawpat in South West Khasi Hills on Tuesday turned violent when two groups started pelting stones.
The violence started when an unidentified person from the anti-uranium mining group started pelting stones during the speech of Ferdinand Khardewsaw, secretary of Rangblang-A village, who was in favour of the road project.
This instigated the other group and hurling of stones continued for a few minutes till police and the magistrate intervened. Several members of both the groups suffered minor injuries. Though appeals to maintain peace pacified the situation, the tension between the two groups and scepticism among many villagers were palpable.
Several villagers and pressure groups have been opposing the road project claiming that this would facilitate uranium mining. The opposition was so strong that one of the members of the anti-uranium mining group warned of bloodshed if the government pushed for the project.
BS Lyngdoh, who is the president of the Langrin Youth Welfare Association, an organisation from the
uranium-rich Langrin area, said the road was meant for mining of uranium from Domiasiat-Mawthabah area and “not for development”.
“We want development but we will not accept any activities with hidden agenda. If the government gives us hospitals, university, medical college, engineering college, roads without hidden agenda and other developmental schemes, we will accept with open arms but we will not allow any pre-uranium mining activity,” Lyngdoh said.
He warned the government against any hasty decision saying, “We are firm on our stand and if the state government tries to force the road project, there will be bloodshed.”
Speakers from the pro-road project group supported the project saying it has nothing to do with uranium mining but it will uplift the economic condition of the people in the area.
Additional Deputy Commissioner W Biam and M Kharnaior, executive engineer of PWD (Roads), informed people that this road comes through the Special Accelerated Development Programme under the Ministry of National Road Transport and Highway but could not clarify whether it has any relation with uranium mining when asked.
Forwardman Nongrem, the president of KSU South West Khasi Hills, said the public hearing showed double standards of the government because the Centre had already granted permission for uranium mining through environmental clearance issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2007.
“Since the government could not clarify on the objectives of the road, the KSU will continue to protest and will not surrender, come what may,” he added.
Later, Nongrem condemned the unidentified person for disrupting the public hearing at Umdohlun.
After the hearing was declared closed, the magistrate instructed the anti-uranium mining group to leave but asked the other group to stay back.
This raised suspicion and violence erupted again. “Why did they (officers) call only those in favour and not us, there may be something behind,” said a youth from the anti-uranium group.
Cop collapses
The pelting of stones finally ended when a policeman who was controlling the crowd collapsed after an epileptic attack. “He gets this illness every time,” said one of his colleagues.
The cop was taken to Mawkyrwat CHC.
South West Khasi Hills SP H G Lyngdoh said there was no report of serious injury during the violence.
