Precautionary measures taken for Uranium mining, Menon

Shillong, Nov 16 (UNI) Prominent scientist M G K Menon has said uranium mining will not cause any health hazard if precautionary measures are taken.

'' There is radiation even in coal mines. How one can say that radiation from mining of uranium leads to health hazard?'' Prof Menon said, adding if mining leads to health hazard, then coal mining is more dangerous as it is done in unscientific method.

Prof Menon's statement assumed significance as coal is being exploited by rat-hole method in Meghalaya.

In Kerala, radio active rays are being emitted from thorium mining but there are still no signs of deformity in newborn babies, he said while answering a query on whether uranium mining radiations results deformations in children.

He said yesterday mining of any mineral is harmful safety measures are not adopted. But, if the government takes all precautionary measures no unwanted incident would occur.

Prof Menon said India needs a lot of uranium for generation of energy and it has all the latest equipment to unearth Uranium.

He stated that no country in the world could prosper without being independent on energy requirement.

UNI RRK PP PA BST0857