Sangma suggests all-party meeting on Uranium mining

Shillong, June 3 (UNI) Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma today suggested the Meghalaya government to convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the proposed public hearing on uranium mining in the state.

Mr Sangma's suggestion to the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government came in the wake of anti-mining lobbies, including two Congress allies, the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), opposing the public hearing on uranium mining.

''In a democratic country like India, any decision on sensitive issues should be taken the basis of consensus,'' Mr Sangma told newspersons yesterday.

Stating that the mining of Uranium is important in the greater interest of the country, however, he said, ''The government must take the local people into confidence because they apprehensive about the adverse affects of such mining.'' Mr Sangma said the whole world was concerned about sustainable energy security and this could be acieved only through nuclear energy.

Therefore, he supported the mining of uranium in the interest of the country and global energy scenario.

However, Chief Minister D D Lapang said it was necessary for the government to convene an all-party meeting as the public hearing was the process of the law of the land.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) decided to hold a public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village on June 12 following the Uranium Corporation of India Limited's (UCIL) proposal to develop an open cast mining at the Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing plant at Mawthabah.

UNI