Radiation threat still persists in Meghalaya

Shillong, May 17 (UNI) The government should ensure people's safety before initiating the Uranium mining project in Meghalaya as the radiation threat still persists, senior Congress leader R C Laloo said here today.

Talking to mediapersons at a seminar organised by Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Dr Laloo, who is also a lecturer in North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), pointed out that the exploration and mining of uranium will affect the environment and living beings.

He said the radiation from Uranium can harm the living cells by breaking up their chemical composition and cause genetic problems.

Though Uranium mining would help meet the demand for power and be able to bring development, it will pose a threat to the environment, Dr Laloo said.

However, the UCIL stated that radiation caused by Uranium mining was not hazardous to health.

NEHU professor B Mayrboh presented a research paper on the baseline environmental survey of the proposed project in the seminar on Uranium exploration, mining applications and environmental issues.

The university carried out a three-year research on the effects of radiation at the mining site in Domiasiat in the West Khasi hills district.

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