SHILLONG, June 5 – President APJ Abdul Kalam has deputed the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) of India, Dr Anil Kakodkar to Meghalaya to dispel apprehensions regarding possible radiation hazards arising out of the proposed uranium mining project at Domiasiat in the West Khasi Hills district of the State. Dr Kalam had assured a group of MLAs from Meghalaya, who called on him last month at New Delhi of soon deputing a team of experts to explain the ground realities of uranium mining, in the wake of stiff opposition to the proposed mining by certain NGOs on the ground that this would lead to health and environmental hazards, besides influx of outsiders to the pre-dominantly tribal State. Dr Kakodkar, who is also secretary to the Union Government, Department of Atomic Energy, visited Domiasiat on Friday and interacted with the local populace.
Addressing the media in Shillong on Saturday, the chairman said the local people of Domiasiat were interested in uranium mining as they realised that this would lead to their economic uplift. “I received very positive response from the people of the area, who have agreed in principle to provide land for the purpose to the Uranium Mining Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL),” Dr Kakodkar said. Stating that uranium emitted very low levels of radiation, compared to other radio-active minerals, the chairman said, if the mining project is cleared, the Department of Atomic Energy and the UCIL would ensure strict adherence to the international safety standards, causing no harm either to the health of the people living in the vicinity of the mine or to the environment.
“Application for mining lease has been filed with the State Government and the matter is being pursued at various levels, including the autonomous district council and the benefit for the state and the people by the proposed project is being explained at different forums,” Dr Kakodkar informed.
“However, we shall never take up mining against the wishes of the people,” the chairman maintained, even as he assured that the project would be scientifically implemented for the benefit of the people of the State at large. Earlier, delivering his presidential address at the 13th National Symposium on Environment held at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) headquarters in Shillong on Saturday, Dr Kakodkar reiterated that mining of uranium would be taken up in a “hundred per cent environmentally benign manner.”
“We need to remove the misconceptions regarding radiation in the minds of the people and the NGOs who are opposed to the project,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister D.D. Lapang reiterated: “If uranium mining proves to be beneficial to the people and the economy of the State, the government will go ahead with it irrespective of opposition from certain NGOs.”
“We need to adapt to changed circumstances,” he stressed. It may be mentioned here that the proposed mining of uranium in Meghalaya has been pending for more than a decade due to stiff opposition from NGOs.