MAWKYRWAT, Dec 15: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has rejected some of the recommendations of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Committee on Environment, including the proposal that uranium sites at Nongbah Jynrin in South West Khasi Hills should be declared ‘restricted areas’.
Such a move to declare the sites as restricted areas, according to KSU, will allow the government machinery “to do whatever they like at the site” as people would be in the dark about the activities there.
Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, KSU South West Khasi Hills District president, Forwardman Nongrem said the union could not accept some of the recommendations of the Assembly environment committee released on November 9, 2020.
“The union cannot accept recommendation 5.4 which stated that ‘the location of the three abandoned uranium test mine pits and two repository tanks may be declared as protected/ restricted areas where only authorised personnel may be allowed access’. This will allow the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and the Atomic Minerals Division (AMD) to do whatever they want as no one would then know about the activities at the site,” Nongrem said.
“The people of the state need to know and have a right to know about the situation in the area,” he added.
The KSU also rejected recommendation 5.5 where the committee suggested opening of the police outpost at Wahkaji village to secure the sensitive location.
“How can police fight against radiation from uranium? The government should improve healthcare in the area, including facilities at the Wahkaji primary health centre, and set up more health sub-centres for the benefit of the people. The cracks in the uranium tanks should be repaired properly to protect the people of the area,” Nongrem said.
The KSU leader also informed that the union had sent letters to S.K. Sunn, the environment committee’s chairman, all the members of the committee, and also chief minister Conrad Sangma to apprise them of the issue. The students union further warned the MLAs and MDCs for “creating confusion” among the people by making vague or imprecise statements on the issue.
“They should clearly say whether they support or are against uranium mining. Because if they support mining they will be facing us as a union, and if they were against it, we will support them on the issue,” Nongrem said.
The KSU also condemned some of the MDCs for trying to explain the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the MMDR Act, 1957 while forgetting the power of the district council and the resolution passed by the KHADC on uranium mining in 2017.
Regarding the statement claimed by the nominated MDC in KHADC that there was no drilling of uranium in South West Khasi Hills since 2011, Nongrem pointed out that the KSU had in the year 2017, found 1800 holes in the Porkut and Nongjri areas, which was drilled by Maheshwari Mining Private Limited, but was later stopped by the union.
“In 2018, AMD had given a contract to some individuals for drilling of uranium from the Mawthabah area,” he said.
“Therefore, the union wants the MLAs and MDCs to speak only the truth and not mislead people because the general public needs to know the truth. It is better for the public representatives not to say anything than misleading the general public,” Nongrem said.