Meghalaya govt to constitute all party panel on Uranium mining

Shillong, Jun 13 (UNI) While expressing satisfaction over the peaceful public hearing on Uranium mining in the state, Chief Minister D D Lapang has decided to constitute a committee to oversee the same.

''Though the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board(MSPCB) has completed its formalities, the coalition partner's feels that there is a need of setting up of a Committee to examine the pros and cons of Uranium mining,'' Mr Lapang told reporters here late last night.

Mr Lapang, who discussed at length with his coalition partners of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance(MDA) members yesterday on the over all law and order situation, spilling from the Khasi Student's Union protest against the Pollution Control Board hearing.

The proposed Committee would consist of leaders from different political parties' leaders and nuclear experts, the chief minister said, while adding that the Committee would act as a forum where people can seek clarifications and give suggestions.

He said the newly constituted Committee would also study the report of the MSPCB's public hearing and then submit its views to the government.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy of United Democratic Party, the main constituent of the Congress-led MDA government reiterated that his party wanted the people to examine all the positive and negative aspects of Uranium mining.

Paul Lyngdoh, leader of the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement and Urban Affairs minister said the government needs to address the overall impact of and benefits derived from Uranium mining.

Yesterday, about 75 per cent out of the 700 people, who attended the public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village, near the proposed Uranium mining areas, opposed the Uranium Corporation of India Limited(UCIL) project.

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board(MSPCB) conducted the hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village, about 150 km from here to assess public opinion of UCIL's proposed plan for an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium Ore and Processing Plant at Mawthabah.

''Majority of the people from the adjoining areas of Nongbah Jynrin like Umdohlun, Wahkaji and Phlangdilion have opposed Uranium mining on grounds of health hazard,'' West Khasi Hill district Deputy Commissioner Freeman Kharlyngdoh said.

Mr Kharlyngdoh, however, said that the tribals and land-owners from the vicinity of the proposed project site were in support of UCIL's nuke project.

''We have recorded both the views and suggestions and shortly we will submit our report to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for its decision on it,'' MSCPB MSPB Member Secretary D Hooroo told UNI here today.

Estimated at Rs 814 crores, the Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong-Mawthabah project is said to be of utmost importance to further the nation's nuclear research programe.

The country's 13 Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors(PHWRs) are running below their capacity as natural uranium to fuel them is in short supply. The authorities were looking to this new mining project to overcome some or perhaps most of the shortage.

In 1984, the Atomic Minerals Division discovered Uranium oxide deposits, estimating at about 9,500 tonnes, in Domiasiat and then at Wakhyn in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district.

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

UNI