Uranium mining only after safety check, assures CM

SHILLONG, March 12: The state government will go ahead with uranium mining only after taking people into confidence and after analysing all the scientific aspects with regard to safety issues, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Tuesday.
Sangma told media persons that he cannot stop any organisation from writing to the Government of India seeking uranium mining but it does not mean that the state government has the same views.
“We are very clear that we will not allow uranium mining to take place in our state without taking people into confidence and without looking at all the scientific aspects,” he reiterated.
Stating that the matter concerns people’s lives, health and the future of the state, the chief minister said the issues have to be addressed in a careful manner.
Stressing on the need to take the stakeholders on board, he said that there has to be a detailed study on the impact of uranium mining and till then there will be no action.
He also confirmed that there has been no communication from the Centre on the matter.
Meanwhile, the issue of uranium mining came up for discussions in the KHADC on Tuesday with the Opposition UDP asking the NPP-led Executive Committee (EC) to firmly stand against any proposal for exploration or mining of uranium in areas within the jurisdiction of the council.
“We want the EC to oppose tooth and nail any attempt to mine uranium and also any move to introduce railways in the areas falling under the KHADC,” Leader of Opposition Titosstarwell Chyne said.