SHILLONG: The West Jaintia Students’ Union (WJSU), Amlarem was aghast over “external forces” that malign the limestone mining activities and alleged that outsiders are trying to blackmail the entire working force which depends on limestone for their day to day needs.
In a statement issued here, Convener Reviving Committee WJSU, W Lamin maintained that limestone mining is a gift in disguise that provides employment to the locals, adding that they have mined limestone since times immemorial to meet their daily needs both traditionally and scientifically.
“We, as the union cannot tolerate this kind of hypocrisy and Anti-War Jaintia sentiments hence urging the same to work and serve their own community as we do not need interference and help,” he said.
The union expressed gratitude to the concerned authority for allowing mining activities to run smoothly as per rules and regulations.
Lamin said that nature provided the communities with limited limestone stock in some areas of Nongtalang and Satpator. He asserted that somehow a section of the working force has survived on mining.
Stating that the War Jaintia Community were victimised during the partition of India as 90 per cent of the fertile land has gone to Bangladesh, he said that the remaining of the fertile land which falls in the sloppy area has become barren leaving the people unemployed with the passage of time.
The WJSU, Amlarem have convened a meeting on June 15, where senior leaders and members had taken a unanimous resolution to revive the functioning of the union.
The meeting nominated the union Vice President Jambok Lanong as the Union Interim President. The meeting authorised the interim president to constitute the election committee to conduct the election to the post of the full-fledge president of the union within a month’s time.
On the other hand, Lamin said that the interim president Jambok Lanong has reminded the State government that the union is against the setting-up of any cement plants related industries in the region and continues to oppose it.