Uranium Mining takes one stride in Meghalaya

Shillong, May 12 (UNI) The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board's (MSPCB) has decided to hold a public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village on June 12, regarding proposed uranium mining in the state.

The Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) had proposed to develop an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing project at the Mawthabah in state's West Khasi Hills district.

'' The environmental clearance is mandatory and is required to be conducted by the Pollution Board to get the public views, suggestions or objections on the proposed project,'' MSPB Member Secretary D Hooroo said.

Mr Hooroo, who is also heading the Environmental Public Hearing Committee, had invited suggestions, objections, comments from the general public environmental organisations of the area within one month on the environmental aspects of the proposed projects.

In February last, the UCIL had submitted its application to the state government for mining natural uranium in the state.

The UCIL had submitted four sets of documents, including White paper, Executive Summary on Environment, Detailed Project Report and a mining lease to the government and MPSCB.

The project estimated at a cost of Rs 814 crore, was strongly opposed by the Hills State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement, which are the allies of Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, the Khasi Student's Union, Meghalaya People's Human Rights Council and Langrin Youth Welfare Association.

The anti-mining groups opposed mining of uranium in the state fearing health and environment hazards in the state.

However, a senior UCIL geologist said the UCIL had also adopted an environmental plan for effluent treatment of waste rock and mill tailings is also envisaged to protect the environment and public in accordance with the regulatory norms.

''Environmental scientists from the Environmental Assessment Division of BARC and Jaduguda Health Physics Unit of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre had also taken baseline radiological and related surveys around the proposed site,'' the geologist said.

The Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) had found uranium oxide reserve, estimated to be about 9,500 tonnes in about 9.22 million tonnes of ore, in Meghalaya. During an initial survey, the UCIL found the area around Kylleng-Pyndeng-Sohiong has about 10,000 tonnes of uranium.

The uranium deposits in Meghalaya is the largest, richest, near-surface and low-cost, sandstone-type uranium deposit discovered in India so far.

The ores are spread over a 10-square-kilometer area in deposits varying from eight to 47 meters from the surface.

UNI