Meghalaya Govt yet to take decision on Uranium Mining

Shillong, Jul 3 (UNI) The Meghalaya Government has failed to take any decision on uranium mining in Domiasiat in West Khasi hills district.

Mining and Geology Minister Prestone Tynsong was replying to a zero hour notice brought by P T Sawkmie, about a newspaper report which said ''UCIL- yet to take steps for mining''.

The Minister clarified that the UCIL had submitted a formal application for uranium mining to the Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills on 15-10-2001. It is still under scrutiny of the Deputy Commissioner,he added.

The DC had requested UCIL to submit consent of land owners and surveyed maps which the UCIL has failed to do till date. The application for mining lease of UCIL is yet to reach the state government. Only after the application has been received, it will be decided by state government whether to allow uranium mining in the state.

The UCIL had approached the state government for almost a decade now and series of preliminary discussions have been held but no final decision has been taken by the state government so far, he said.

Regarding health, the minister said a committee visited UCIL's uranium mining project at Jaduguda in Jharkhand during March 8 to March 10 and found that the health condition of the people here was found to be normal and no case of ailment or physical deformity due to radiation could be confirmed.

But the government assured that before allowing uranium mining it will see that the mining does not pose any health hazard.

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