KSU threatens to agitate against public hearing on Uranium mining

Shillong, May 20 (UNI) Influential Khasi Student's Union (KSU) in Meghalaya has threatened to launch an agitation if the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government would go ahead with the public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village on June 12, regarding the proposed uranium mining in the state.

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board's (MSPCB) has decided to hold a public hearing following the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) proposal to develop an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing project at the Mawthabah in the state's West Khasi Hills district.

The uranium ore deposits have an average grade of 0.085 per cent.

''The government has been claiming from time to time that it was yet to take any decision on uranium mining. But the truth is that it has engaged various departments so that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) could be issued to the UCIL at the earliest,'' KSU President Samuel Jyrwa said.

Mr Jyrwa claimed the proposed public hearing of the MSPCB is one of such steps to start the mining of the natural Uranium in the state.

''If the government decides to go ahead with the proposed public hearing, we have no option but to take to streets against it,'' the student leader said. He, however, pointed out that if the government was serious about the development of West Khasi Hills then the public hearing should be held by the State Planning Board and not by the State Pollution Board.

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 the MPSCB.

The mining project, was estimated at Rs 300 crore in 1992 and now revised to Rs 814 crore, was strongly opposed by the Hills State People's Democratic Party and the 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 the Langrin Youth Welfare Association.

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

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