Manipur: Youth body moves government & industries to stop mining activities

CHROMITE & LIMESTONE QUARRIES IN FOUR MANIPUR DISTRICTS

IMPHAL: The Eastern Himalayan Youth Coordinating Committee on Climate Change (EHYCCCC) has appealed to the Governments of India, the Government of Manipur, and the industries to immediately stop the mining of chromite and limestone across the hill ranges of Urkhul, Kamjong, Tengnoupal and Chandel districts of Manipur.

The organization press release has been signed by its Assam members KangburaTimung and Ajay Doley, Tripura member Pritam Debbarma, Manipur member Kiran Moirangcha, Nagaland member James Tungoe, and Meghalaya member James Hitler Mawphniang.

The EHYCCCC has further pointed out that "these activities must be stopped to respect the 'UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples and also the rights of the Indigenous Peoples'." The organization has also demanded that 'Human Rights Impact Assessment and Cumulative Impact Assessment' be conducted in these areas.

The organization's said, "We the Eastern Himalayan Youth Coordinating Committee on Climate Change (EHYCCCC) is deeply concern on the approach of the Government of Manipur, Government of India and Extractive Industries/ Companies to initiate Mining of Limestone, Chromite, Nickel, Copper, Malachite, Azurite and Magnetite and various platinum group of elements (PGE) which are deposited along the hill range of Ukhrul District, Kamjong District, Tengnoupal, Chandel District and various parts of Manipur which will destroy large scale forest covered area and will contribute to climate change. Various scientists have already warned that the Eastern Himalayan will be the most vulnerable due global climate crisis, therefore, it is high time for the Government of Manipur, India and the extractive industries to rethink, revisit and stop the mining across the hill ranges of Manipur.

"To Recover the lost economy of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic by sacrificing the Indigenous peoples land which are rich in natural resource by initiating the extraction of Natural Resources is a threat to right to lives of the indigenous peoples inhabited across the hill ranges of Manipur bordering to Myanmar as the indigenous peoples are dependent on the forest, river and mountains. Extracting the natural resources deposited in the land of the indigenous people without the proper knowledge and concern of the people is considered as one of the strategic step of Government of India, Manipur and other extractive MNC (multi-national companies) to suppress the right of the indigenous people. Further it will adversely impact to the indigenous peoples inhabited in the border area of Myanmar due to dumping of toxic waste from the Mining sites to the small streams and rivers which flows down to Myanmar.

"The initiative to initiate mining of the minerals by the Governments of Manipur, India and the extractive industries have failed to obtain 'Free Prior and Informed' consent of the indigenous peoples and also have failed to follow and respect certain guidelines laid down under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Further it failed to conduct ground survey to assess the Human Rights Impact Assessment, Cumulative Impact Assessment, etc.

"We have already learned from the incident of Baghjan, Assam on the 27th of May, 2020 where the Oil India Ltd drilled crude oil and caught fire which displaced more than 1600 house hold, polluting the river, lake and a wild life sanctuary. Also in Jaintia Hill of Meghalaya where 8 cement factories are located and also the coal mining which pollutes the rivers flowing down to Bangladesh due to dumping of toxic waste."

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