Meghalaya: Public hearing on uranium mining held

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board on Tuesday held a public hearing on uranium mining despite opposition and a bandh call guven by Khasi Students Union and its allies.

According to an official source, the public hearing on uranium mining was held peacefully under heavy security at Nongbah-Jynrin at Mawthaba in West Khasi Hills district.

The source further informed that people from different walks of life had sufficient opportunity to air their views for and against uranium mining in the state.

The views aired by the people were recorded and the same would be sent to Union Ministry for Environment for further action. The public hearing was conducted by Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board at the instruction of the Union government.

The KSU and other NGOs have been opposing uranium mining at Domiaset, where the uranium ore is located, on the ground that it will have a very serious negative impact on the natural environment and public heath.

There is an estimated reserve of over 9,500 tonnes of uranium oxide in about 9.22 million tonnes of ore spread over an area of 2 sq km at Domiaset in West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya.

The Uranium Corportaion of India Limited is very keen to start mining of the strategic mineral subject to approval from the government.