Meghalaya erupts over mining lease

ON AUGUST 24, the Meghalaya governmentdecided to hand over a large parcelof land in West Khasi Hills to theUranium Corporation of India Limited.Citizens' groups have opposed the decisionto lease 422 hectares (ha) of landfor uranium mining saying it will affectpeople's health.

Chief Minister D D Lapang claimedthe government took the decision afterconsulting the local people. "Thelandowners have allowed us to go aheadwith the pre-project developmentworks," said Lapang. "The governmentis now concentrating on development,"said deputy chief minister BindoLanong who holds the mining portfolio.UCIL plans to spend Rs 209 crore onhealthcare facilities, power plant, drinkingwater, road development and educationalinstitutions, he said. UCIL hadtried to mine uranium in the area in1990 but had to abandon plans due toviolent protests.

Citizens' groups called the developmentworks a bribe. "The Centre shouldrealize that development work will notmitigate the health hazards caused byuranium mining," said Samuel Jyrwa,president of the influential KhasiStudents' Union. H S Lyngdoh, presidentof the Hill State People'sDemocratic Party, said: "We'll opposethe project as there is no proof showingthat radiation effects can be contained."The state government's decision followsthe Union environment ministry'sclearance to UCIL's proposed mines andprocessing plant in 2007. Meghalaya hasthe third richest uranium reserves inthe country (13,500 tonnes) afterJharkhand and Andhra Pradesh