KSU demands action against UCIL & AMD for illegal extraction of uranium

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 19, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has demanded the state government to take action against the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) for alleged illegal extraction and transportation of uranium from the state.

In a statement issued here, president of the KSU South West Khasi Hills District Forwardman Nongrem said the uranium seized at Moreh in Manipur recently clearly indicated that the UCIL and AMD are indulging in illegally extraction and transportation of uranium from the state.

Nongrem, while quoting media reports, said the seized package containing uranium also read “Explosive No. 337/99% Proven 425 Volt 2014” along with name tag of the UCIL and AMD, North Eastern Region, Shillong.

Stating that the incident has not come as a surprise to the union, he said last year it had also come to the fore that the UCIL and AMD had used local people to extract uranium at Mawthabah which was an attempt to mislead the public.

This was despite the fact that the state government had already cancelled the decision taken by the Cabinet in 2009, which agreed to lease 422 hectares of land in Domiasiat and Mawthabah under South West Khasi Hills to the UCIL for taking up pre mining activities in the region.

“Therefore, we demand the state government to take actions against the officials of the UCIL and AMD for disrespecting the decision of the Cabinet and also the decision taken by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) in 2017 on the issue that no uranium mining will be allowed without its consent,” Nongrem said.

“We also demand both the state government and the KHADC to not only express their opposition against mining of uranium in the state but to take up the matter and pressurise the Centre to ensure that uranium mining is a closed chapter in our state,” he added.

The KSU leader further stated that the state government and the KHADC should also urge the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to cancel the environmental clearances granted for open cast mining and drilling at Domiasiat and Mawthabah in 2017.

“If (L) Purno Sangma, father of the incumbent chief minister can convince the standing committee of the MoEF not to grant environmental clearance to the AMD for drilling of uranium at Balpakram National Park in 2010, we demand Conrad Sangma should also do the same in the interest of the people of South West Khasi Hills,” Nongrem said.