Stage set for public hearing on Uranium mining amids protest

Shillong, June 10 (UNI) The stage is set for Meghalaya Pollution Control Board's (MPSCB) public hearing on the Rs 814 crore Uranium ore minig project at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong area in the state's West Khasi Hills district.

The public hearing to be held at Nongbah Jynrin village, about 150 km from here, was strongly opposed by anti-mining lobbies' group citing that holding of such hearing was meant to facilitate the project, which according to them can pose threat to the local people.

According to sources, a geologist from Uranium Corporation of India Limited met them a couple of times in the last week to convince the tribals in favour of the mining during the hearing.

The regional allies of MDA government- the United Democratic Party, Hill State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement- had suggested keeping the MPSCB's public hearing in abeyance.

The MSPCB decided to hold a public hearing following the UCIL had proposed to develop an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing plant at Mawthabah.

''We will go ahead and conduct the public hearing to get the public views, suggestions or objections on the proposed project,'' MSPB member secretary D Hooroo said.

The powerful Khasi Student's Union (KSU), which is spearheading the anti-uranium mining movement in the state for over a decade, had agitated against the government since last week.

The KSU had called for a 36-hour bandh from 0500 hours of June 11 to 1700 hours on June 12 to protest the public hearing.

Last week, the state witnessed torching of government vehicles and attempts to burn a government office during the protest against the proposed hearing.

''We will continue to fight against the government with our democratic movements to force the government not to grant permission to UCIL to mine the Uranium in our areas,'' KSU leader Samuel Jyrwa said.

''The world has witnessed the causes of Uranium and we don't want that our indigenous society to be slowly destroyed by the ill-effects of Uranium mining,'' Mr Jyrwa said.

Eighty-year-old Spillity Langrin Lyngdoh, who owns major portion of the land where the nuclear ore is to be mined, has vowed not to allow the UCIL to get inside her land, after witnessing the ill-effects of the Uranium mining pilot project of the Atomic Mineral Division at Domiasiat.

''I will continue to fight against it as long as I can,'' she said, recollecting how her neighbours and other tribal villagers suffered and died from peculiar diseases.

But Heas Dienglan, Chairman of ''Synjuk Ki Hynriew Shnong'' (Federation of Six Villages), who represents the views of pro-mining in the area said ''I don't agree with those saying Uranium mining causes health hazards as I did not witness any ill-effects of Uranium mining in Jaduguda.'' Mr Lyngdoh, who was one those who had been part of the entourage sponsored by the UCIL over the years and had visited Jharkhand to 'understand the exploration of Uranium ore in Jaduguda' said he favoured Uranium mining after witnessing the development activities in Jaduguda and its adjoining areas.

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