Meghalaya Govt tries to evolve consensus on mining uranium

The NCP-United Democratic Party-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government as well as the Department of Atomic Energy...

The NCP-United Democratic Party-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government as well as the Department of Atomic Energy DAE are in favour of evolving a consensus for mining uranium in Meghalaya, NCP leader Purno A Sangma has said.

Sangma said the MPA Government would hold a meeting with political parties and some of the anti-mining groups to evolve a consensus on the issue. On Thursday, DAE joint secretary Shailendra Mendiratta and Uranium Corporation of India Limited UCIL chairman Ramendra Gupta met Chief Minister Donkupar Roy, deputy chief ministers Hopingstone Lyngdoh, Timothy Shira and top government officials.

8216;8216;There is no hurry in extracting the ore. The MPA Government will try and evolve a consensus on the issue by holding a dialogue with political parties and some of the anti-uranium groups before taking a final decision,8217;8217; said Sangma.

After the meeting with Roy and his two Cabinet colleagues, Mendiratta said the DAE would continue its dialogue with the anti-mining groups and try to convince them of the importance to mine the precious uranium ore.

8216;8216;Mining of the 3, 75,000 tonne uranium ore in the state will take place only after the state Government issues a no-objection certificate to the UCIL,8217;8217; he added.

The meeting between DAE and UCIL officials with Roy assumes significance as the PMO reportedly decided to go ahead with the Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong-Mawthabah Uranium mining project in West Khasi Hills District.

Union Minister of State in the PMO, Prithviraj Chavan had informed the Lok Sabha in a written statement that the UCIL would go ahead with the mining project in Meghalaya, despite protests by NGOs.

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8216;8216;Various pre-project activities are being carried out and work for implementing the project will commence only after UCIL secures all statutory clearances as well as investment approval from the Government,8217;8217; he said.

UCIL chairman Ramendra Gupta said the corporation was not in a hurry to extract the uranium ore in the state.8216;8216;We would like to convince the Meghalaya people of the positive prospect of the mining,8217;8217; he said.

Last December, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests granted environmental clearance to the UCIL to mine uranium ore at Kylleng-Pyndeng-Sohiong area in West Khasi Hills district, based on the public hearing report, submitted by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.