DAE still studying uranium mining project in Meghalaya
SHILLONG: Union Minister of State in charge of Atomic Energy Department Jitendra Singh has said that the Centre is adopting a cautious approach while dealing the proposed uranium mining project in Meghalaya.
“Certain projects have to be carried forward with caution. The Centre is always cautious while moving ahead with projects relating to nuclear energy, atomic energy. They carry a lot of sensitivity along with them, a lot of security, a huge budget. It has to be thoroughly worked out,” Singh said.
Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday, the Union Minister said “The issue (uranium) has come up but the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is still studying it because this requires a lot of planning and spade work”.
“Certainly the department is exploring new areas of uranium reserves. We already have Meghalaya in mind as one of the new areas for uranium mining,” Singh said.
“But among the new areas, it is not only Meghalaya but Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh where they see the possibility. But this takes time, it requires budget, research, and there are also security concerns whenever they undertake,” he said, adding, “We will follow it up and decide if we can push forward”.
Asked if the proposed uranium project in Meghalaya failed to materialize due to pressure from the state government, he said: “I don’t think the state government has been much involved in that, but in certain stages, the state government also has to be involved.”
“In fact, some of the states have the apprehension that if projects like these come up, there will be some hazards, which we are trying to brush aside. This is happening in other states also like in Maharashtra. They have the apprehension that if a new project is launched, there will be cancer all around, which usually does not happen,” he added.
The Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) had pegged Kylleng Pyndengsohiong Mawthabah project in Meghalaya for Rs.1,100 crore. The ores are spread over a mountainous terrain in deposits varying from eight to 47 meters from the surface in and around Domiasiat, 135 km west from here.
The UCIL plans to produce 375,000 tonnes of uranium ore a year and process 1,500 tonnes of the mineral a day.
