‘Uranium mining in State not to take place without people’s consent’

Staff Correspondent

Shillong, Feb 23: Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma made it amply clear that the proposed uranium mining in the State will not take place without the consent of general public.

Recently, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which looks after department of Atomic energy (DAE), said it has already planned to develop the mineral resources at Domiasiat under the me of ‘Kylleng- Pyndenumiong -Mawthabah (KPM) Uranium Mining Project’.

But the Meghalaya chief minister negated the PMO talks on the issue. “Have you seen our government being confused at any given time on this issue”, stated the Meghalaya Chief Minister during an exclusive interaction with The Sentinel. Sangma said that the views of the central government and the state government will differ, except for the approach. In the midst of the hullabaloo in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District council (KHADC) on the Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) funding of the road project and the possible questions in the upcoming budget session of the state assembly, Sangma said, “Have you seen government confused at any given time on this issue. We have complete clarity on our approach”.

“Whatever we decided is relevant and will go in sync with due weight given to the sentiments of our beloved people” Sangma stated while adhering with the ‘no call’ on uranium mining in  the rich mining belts located in west and South West Garo hills district. Sangma referred to the democratic practices where the voice of the majority prevails, even as he added that the uranium mining issue will be determined in the spirit of democracy.

Meghalaya has around 16000 tons of uranium ore deposit and the Uranium Corporation of India (ucil) earmarked around Rs 11,000 crore for extraction and other related projects. However, what is more astounding is the UCIL road projects that has taken a different trajectory in the KHADC. As reported, the MOU signed by the UCIL and the KHADC is expected to stand cancel due to a resolution passed on Wednesday.