SHILLONG, May 22 ?After over a decade, investigation and drilling of uranium deposits by the Uranium Corporation of India (UCI) have resumed in Meghalaya, reports PTI. The UCI has conducted geo-physical survey in Domiasiat area of West Khasi hills and was now negotiating with the individuals. The State government was not involved in the process, Chief Secretary J Tayeng told reporters here Saturday.
Process of excavation of the precious mineral had begun in Meghalaya in 1992 as Rs 450 crore were earmarked for the pilot project but it was reportedly abandoned due to protests from local people and village heads. Making a forceful plea to use the uranium deposits of Meghalaya, the chief secretary said that even if we do not use it for making atomic weapons, we can do it for generating atomic power to build infrastructure for the State.?
Tayeng voiced concern that the precious mineral would be of no use after 20-25 years if the scientific community discovered a substitute for uranium. He said except Jharkhand, Meghalaya is the second State in the country with uranium deposits.
Making the government?s role clear, Tayeng said the State would like to be a ?facilitator? in the process and wished to convince the people who opposed the move earlier. The money earmarked for the project might be useful for developing West Khasi hills district, he added.
New laboratory: A laboratory set up to grow disease-free plants in large numbers would be operational soon in Meghalaya. Installed with modern sophisticated equipment, the lab comprised two sections? innoculation centre and growth centre under tissue culture and plant health clinic, official sources said here Saturday.
Developed as part of the centrally sponsored scheme Mission Technology II, the laboratory was set up with a cost of Rs 41 lakh. The benefit of the project would be a disease-free plant which could be multiplied in large numbers, the sources said.
The State?s agriculture Minister P M Syiem visited the unit here Friday. The Centre was offering financial assistance to trained graduates to set up such plant health clinics, the sources said. During his visit, Syiem also inspected the government fruit processing unit? total output of which was 60 metric tonnes per annum with a turnover of nearly Rs 12 lakh.