SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has decided to engage an expert agency to conduct an in-depth investigation into the reports of leakages and high radiation in uranium-rich Domiasiat.
The move was prompted by the growing concerns among several pressure groups, political parties and environmentalists over the reported explosion and high radiation in the area.
Speaking to media persons here on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, informed that the expert agency would go deep into the matter pertaining to the reported leakages in the tank at Nongbah Jynrin in South West Khasi Hills.
“The expert agency, which will be entrusted with the task, will look into the details of the matter and report to the government,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
The chief secretary has been entrusted to identify the expert agency and the process is likely to be over by next week.
Earlier, the state government had asked the district administration of South West Khasi Hills to inquire into the matter.
But since the team did not have any expert, the pressure groups here were not willing to accept their report that there was no leakage.
Meanwhile, an environmental economist from the London School of Economics, Bremley Wanbantei B Lyngdoh, who visited the site, claimed that the radiation in the area was very high, posing health hazards to the residents.
The Deputy Chief Minister admitted that the team from the district administration that visited the site did not have any expert.
“They did not see any leakage but since there are concerns and allegations from NGOs about high radiation in the area, the government has decided to engage an expert agency to inquire into the matter,” he said.
Apart from NGOs, even the United Democratic Party, the principal ally in the MDA government, and Cabinet minister, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, who represents Mawkyrwat, had urged the state government to conduct a thorough probe into the matter since the allegations were very serious.