SHILLONG, Jan 28: The report of the NEHU expert committee, which probed the alleged uranium leakage from concrete effluent tanks at Nongbah Jynrin in South West Khasi Hills, has revealed that the radiation levels at source and the nearby villages/habitations are within the safety levels.
A statement from the joint secretary, state revenue and disaster management department however said the committee found that the radiation levels were higher in a rivulet, Phud Syngkai, about 100 feet away from the source, and as such, a separate study would be carried out there.
“It is therefore decided that the government of Meghalaya will undertake a separate study on the rocks and sediments of the stream, Phud Syngkai, and get them analysed at a credible laboratory to determine the exact cause of the radiation,” the statement said.
The Meghalaya government had last year requested the North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) to help, by way of a third party investigation, ascertain the factual position regarding the radiation levels and whether there was any health hazard in the area.
A six-member team under the chairmanship of Prof B. Myrboh, department of chemistry, NEHU, had visited the site on November 10, 2020.
The report of the NEHU expert committee was received by the state government on December 17, 2020.
An interactive session on the report was held on January 20, 2021 under the chairmanship of the state chief secretary.