SHILLONG: The executive committee (EC) in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has assured to arrange a team of independent experts to probe the alleged leakage of uranium in South West Khasi Hills district.
In his reply to the zero hour notice moved by Congress MDC Fantin J. Lakadong, KHADC chief executive member (CEM) Titos Chyne said the EC would take the matter seriously to arrange a team of independent experts to conduct the inquiry.
Chyne categorically said that no NOC (no objection certificate) would be issued on uranium mining or anything relating to uranium.
He said the KHADC had earlier passed a resolution that the EC would not take any decision but to bring the matter relating to uranium mining to the House when it was in session.
Besides disallowing uranium mining within the jurisdiction of KHADC as one of the major steps to address the issue, he said the council would write to the state ) government to speed up the inquiry and send a copy of the report to the council.
Raising concerns for the environment, Chyne further said that the council would also set up a committee of MDCs from different parties to visit the uranium site.
Meanwhile, KHADC chairman Pyniaid Syiem urged all the 30 MDCs to take the issue of uranium mining seriously under the leadership of Chyne.
Taking part in the zero hour notice, Independent MDC, PN Syiem said a neutral team of experts should be constituted to examine whether there was any radiation or not. He went on to say that the council should oppose uranium mining.
Another Independent MDC, Lambor Malngiang further reinforced the idea of the CEM for a site visit.
Nominated MDC and UDP member, Bindo Lanong recalled his visits to the mines of Jadugoda (Jharkhand) saying that uranium is highly poisonous.
A former minister, Lanong further recollected that no permission was granted to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to mine uranium even as the Maheshwari Mining Pvt Ltd had carried out a reconnaissance to identify sites.
Stating that they were informed that there was some mining, he said, “Something serious has taken place.”
UDP MDC Teinwell Dkhar said the matter needed to be urgently looked into “as it was affecting the health of all living beings.”