The government’s plans to mine nine thousand bighas of village land near Umrangso in Dima Hasao have shocked and disbelieved the people of Boro Lokhindong. The locals have repeatedly called for dialogue, yet this decision was made without their input or approval. The government is “by the people, of the people, and for the people,” as is frequently stated, but it seems that mining interests have overshadowed this idea in favor of mining interests, disregarding the opinions of the local populace.
The people now face yet another threat of displacement after many of them were previously uprooted when NEEPCO was established. Their means of subsistence, agriculture, and the region’s ecological equilibrium are all under jeopardy due to this development. The disregard for the people was denounced by Linson and Jonto Ronghang, who have been attentively observing the government’s actions. They underlined that although the community supports growth, it shouldn’t come at the price of the environment or people’s future.
The villagers gave the example of how the Dalmiya Cement Company’s mining operations contaminated the Umrang Nulla and its main source, the Kopili River, causing environmental destruction. The fact that the contaminated river can no longer support aquatic life emphasizes the serious environmental effects of unregulated mining operations. The locals emphasized that this problem has broad ramifications for the state and the nation at large in addition to endangering Umrangso.