Nonagenarian Spility Lyngdoh Langrin, also known as the ‘Iron Lady’ who stood firm against the proposed mining of uranium from the uranium-rich deposits of Kyllengp-Pyndengsohïong-Mawthabah in South West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya has passed away.
She was 95. She breathed her last late night on Wednesday.
“Money cannot buy my freedom,” were the famous words uttered by this elderly mother in the past few decades when she was offered a huge sum of money for her land at the uranium-rich area Domïasiat.
Exploratory drilling had been carried out in many places of South West Khasi Hills district many years back.
Various anti-uranium groups led by the Khasi Students’Union (KSU) have strongly opposed exploratory drilling activities as well as any move to mine uranium from Meghalaya.
There was a proposal by the Centre and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to mine uranium from the Kylleng-Pyndengsohïong-Mawthabah area in South West Khasi Hills district.
Meghalaya has an estimated 9.22 million tons of uranium ore deposits.
The KSU also tweeted and expressed grief over the demise of the octogenarian.
“With a heavy heart we are sad to inform that Meiieid Spelity Lyngdoh Langrin is no more with us,” the union said on Twitter.
“The matriarch withstood the onslaught of UCIL and its agents to forcibly mine uranium in Meghalaya,” the union added.
“She is 95 years old when she departed from us. May her soul rest in peace,” the union further said.