On the other hand, questions are being raised if the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) Government headed by DD Lapang had surreptitiously withdrawn from the deal and left West Khasi Hills people to deal directly with a monolith of the Government of India undertaking like UCIL. There is absolutely no mention anywhere in the seven-page agreement between landowners and UCIL, of the State Government intervening in the event one or the other party breaching a part or whole of the agreement, except in matters of environmental clearance.
The highlights of the agreement entered by UCIL, a public sector enterprise based at Jadugoda mine in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, and the representatives of Lyngdoh Sangriang and Myrthong clans as landowners of Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong, Mawthabah (KPM) on March 12, 2007 are:
1. The clans/landowners agreed to the proposal of UCIL for the project for exploration, mining and processing plant, tailing disposal system, townships and other infrastructure facilities for production of magnesium-di-uranate (MDU) at Killing and Rangam blocks and Mawthabah in West Khasi Hills district.
2. Clans/landowners agreed to provide unhindered possession of land at Killing and Rangam blocks and Mawthabah village for a period of 30 years with renewal of the lease beyond the period.
3. UCIL will pay an annual lease of Rs 15,000 per hectare of land to the clans/landowners with provision of increase of 5 per cent annual lease rent every after five years.
4. In addition to the increase of 5 per cent, 15 per cent will be paid as royalty to the Meghalaya Government and clans/landowners only on commencement of production of uranium ore.
5. UCIL will make necessary arrangements for rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of the land-displaced families arising out of the KPM project and will provide at least one job each of the lessors/awardees displaced due to the KPM project.
6. UCIL will provide maximum unskilled jobs to land owners or their nominees in KPM project based on merit and available vacancies and will further consider local people for employment for remaining vacancies on merit.
7. UCIL will implement R&R policy in letter and spirit in consultation with the representatives of clans/landowners and the State Government.
8. UCIL will provide 15 per cent seats for local people other than employees for admission in school to be established in KPM project.
9. UCIL will compensate the cost of existing trees of 0.30 meter girth or above as per rate assessed by the Forest Department of Meghalaya standing on land to be acquired on lease.
10. UCIL has agreed in principle not to go for displacement of existing residents of Mawthabah village.
11. Clans/landowners will not raise any hindrance during the subsistence and tenure of the lease to UCIL and allow it without any interruption to carry on the various pre-project activities.
12. UCIL will obtain environmental clearance and no-objection certificates etc, from the authorities concerned as required under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
13. The control over production and use of atomic energy is completely on the domain of Central Government as prescribed under Section 14 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 subject to Atomic Energy (Working of Mines, Minerals and Handling of Prescribed Substance) Rules, 1984. Therefore, UCIL will take licence for uranium mining as well as processing of uranium ore from the appropriate licensing authority for the uranium project.
14. The lease between UCIL and clans/landowners will be prepared at the expense of UCIL.
15. In the event of any difference arising out of the agreement, such differences will be discussed and sorted out and resolved amicably between parties of the agreement.