MAWKYRWAT, Oct 28: As a tribute to Spility Lyngdoh Langrin, who is often deemed the Iron Lady of Meghalaya, the KSU from South West Khasi Hills has announced that they will observe October 28 as ‘Anti-Uranium Day’. On the other hand, the family members of the anti-uranium activist have maintained that they will continue to oppose uranium mining, which pose environment ills, tooth and nail till the end.
Observing the first death anniversary of Spility on Thursday at Domiasiat village, South West Khasi Hills, the family members beseeched the youths to not lose hope in the fight against uranium mining.
“As long as we, as a family of Mei-ieit Spility, are still there, you should not lose hope in the fight against uranium mining,” Phrijune Lyngdoh Langrin, Spility’s son, said during the programme.
Tributes were also paid to Spility by the members of Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Youth Today International Network, Lyngdoh Langrin Clan, KSU, FKJGP and the Seng Samla Hima Langrin.
South West Khasi Hills KSU president, Forwardman Nongrem, during the programme, recalled how Spility spearheaded the anti-uranium mining movement in Meghalaya.
The work that Mei-ieit Spility has done, especially rejecting crores of rupees offered by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to sell her land, is something that the present and the future generations will always remember, the KSU leader said.
Others who spoke during the programme include assistant organising secretary of the KSU central body, agriculture secretary of FKJGP central body and president of the Seng Samla Hima Langrin.
Hailing from Domiasiat in South West Khasi Hills, the Iron Lady of Meghalaya, who passed away due to prolonged illness last year, had once stood up against government machineries, including the Atomic Minerals Directorate and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited in 1990s, and refused to sell her land worth crore of rupees.