SHILLONG: Shillong MP, Vincent Pala has asserted that he is still in support of the construction of the Nongstoin-Mawthabah road for the benefit of the people.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Sunday, he reiterated that the road construction should not be linked to uranium mining.
“I went to the village because they invited me to come and see the poor condition of the road,” he said.
He further said that the UCIL had not tendered the expression of interest when he visited the village and they have issued the tender just few days back,” Pala said
According to Pala, while there are NGOs who are against the road project, there are other NGOs who are also in support of it. He also said that UCIL exists in Mawthabah since many years but the road was sanctioned just few years back.
The sudden tendering of UCIL to construct open pit mines and plants in South West Khasi Hills has raised suspicion in the minds of the NGOs that the road has been sanctioned to facilitate uranium mining in the state.
The Khasi Students’ Union – South West Khasi Hills (KSU-SWKH) had also accused Pala of being agent of UCIL.