| | India’s nuclear programme has suffered from a shortage
of uranium. As elsewhere in the world, the main
uranium deposits are located on lands belonging to
indigenous or tribal peoples. This paper discusses the
unfolding controversy relating to uranium mining in the
West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. The government-owned
Uranium Corporation of India has for long been trying to
get access to the deposits of uranium, but has failed due
to local opposition. During the past two years the
government has stepped up its efforts to allow mining
in Meghalaya and seeks to win over local people with
promises of development. Although a reasonable
proposition for some, there is also a strong opposition to
this, usually citing either health reasons or issues having
to do with ethnic sovereignty and indigenous rights.
Allowing uranium mining, it is argued, would lead to the
loss of indigenous lands and open the region to a
large-scale influx of non-tribal people.
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