Uranium mining:Tough road ahead

With Australia8217;s Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane hinting that his country will not sell uranium to India until it signs the NPT...

With Australia8217;s Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane hinting that his country will not sell uranium to India until it signs the NPT, the Centre might turn its focus to Meghalaya8217;s huge uranium deposits. However, it is going to be a tough task for the Centre and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited UCIL to convince the state8217;s anti-uranium lobby, which has for long opposed open cast mining in Domasait and adjoining areas in the West Khasi Hills.

A public hearing proposed by the State Pollution Control Board SPCB at Nongbah-Jynrin on June 12 to gauge public opinion on the issue too has run into rough weather with the Khasi Students8217; Union KSU threatening to launch a stir if the hearing was not cancelled. The situation in Wahkaji-Mawthab of West Khasi Hills has been tense for over a week. On Thursday, an additional platoon of state police was rushed there to avert a possible clash between the pro-mining groups like the West Khasi Hills Students8217; Union WKHSU and the anti-mining lobby led by the KSU. There are fears that the area could see violence if the public hearing is not put off.

State Commissioner and Mining and Geology Secretary B Purkyastha told The Indian Express that the Government has nothing to do with the public hearing and hence has no authority to cancel it. He said the pollution control board was following the orders of the Union Government and any cancellation will have to be approved by New Delhi.

The controversy dates back to 1991 when the Regional Centre for Exploration and Research, a division of the Atomic Mineral Division AMD, started exploring uranium deposits in the West Khasi Hills district. The initial AMD survey indicated that Domasait had a deposit of around 10,000 tonnes. Those opposed to uranium mining like the KSU, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement KHNAM and Hills State People Democratic Party HSPDP believe 8220;mining uranium will cause radiation and endanger the health of local residents8221;.

In fact, the UCIL organised trips to Jadogoda to show NGOs, legislators and journalists that uranium mining was totally safe. The trips have changed public opinion to a certain extent, but there are those who are still opposed to mining.

Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council KHADC chief executive member H S Shylla said: 8220;We should not allow people to oppose just for the sake of opposition.8221; He believed UCIL would bring development to the area.

UCIL has promised an investment of Rs 1,000 crore and its Officer On Special Duty OSD F D Rynjah said roads, schools and hospitals would come up in the area. He said UCIL had applied for a clearance certificate from the state government and work was expected to begin soon after.