Meghalaya not in hurry for Uranium mining: Lapang

Shillong, May 25: Chief Minister D D Lapang has said the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government was not in a hurry to take any final decision on the mining issue in Meghalaya.

''The government will respect the sentiments of majority of the people in the state with regard to Uranium mining,'' Mr Lapang told reporters here last evening.

Mr Lapang also appealed to the anti-Uranium mining groups to allow the smooth functioning of the public hearing on June 12 at Nongbah Jynrin to allow people to place their views in this regard.

The State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) had decided to hold a public hearing following the Uranium Corporation of India Limited's (UCIL) proposal for an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing project at the Mawthabah in state's West Khasi Hills district, where the ore deposits have an average grade of 0.085 per cent.

However, the Khasi Student's Union (KSU) had also threatened to launch an agitation if the government goes ahead with the public hearing citing that it is one of the steps to start the project.

The project estimated at Rs 300 crore in 1992 had been revised to Rs 814 crore at present and was strongly opposed by the Hills State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement fearing health and environmental hazards.

Recently, a Khasi traditional Chiefdom Langrin in Meghalaya has decided to call its own public hearing to decide whether to allow the government-owned Uranium mining company within its land.

The Khasi traditional bodies function under the sixth schedule of the constitution and are vested through the district council's control over their own lands unlike in other parts of the country.

UNI