The clamour by pressure groups and now the Khasi Hills District Council for an independent probe into the alleged uranium leakage from a tank adjoining an exploratory mine in South West Khasi Hills is well taken. An environmentalist who visited the place and measured the radiation levels claims it is very high and consequently dangerous for living beings. Since then the Government has engaged the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and IIT Guwahati to carry out their studies and submit their reports accordingly. These two institutions are considered quasi-government bodies because they rely on government funding. The groups demanding the probe by the so-called independent agency also have to names those agencies. Government of India is unlikely to permit any international agency into a territory with uranium deposits. So the institution has to be of Indian vintage. Any group demanding anything from the government ought to have a blueprint of action and suggest specific measures – in this case the name of the independent agency they feel they can trust. Just telling the government so do something without taking the trouble of doing their own research is not pragmatic. If the groups are dissatisfied with NEHU and /or IIT Guwahati they need to find the Institute they trust and push government to engage it. Government should always be presented with practical alternatives instead of vague ultimatums.
On another more serious note the Lukha river which turns blue around this season has interestingly not attracted the same kind of anxiety from any of the pressure groups, other than a hue and cry from the students’ body of that area. That riverine life continues to die year after year since 2007, due to the toxins in the river does not seem to pain anyone; not even the residents of the area and district. No self-acclaimed environmentalist has visited the Lukha to take a sample of the water and to carry out an independent study in a laboratory other than that owned by Government, if indeed there is any such lab. What’s interesting is that NEHU located within the state has so far not come up with any study so that a course correction can be made. Is the blue colour due to the effluents from cement companies as alleged? Does acid mine drainage from coal mines have anything to do with the Lukha changing colour? Unless an in-depth scientific study is carried out, there will always be claims and counter-claims. Whatever the reason for this rare phenomenon, it requires urgent action.