Anti-uranium mining campaign weakening in Meghalaya 

Shillong, Aug 26 : Anti-uranium mining campaign in Meghalaya seems to be weakening with more number of groups supporting the proposed opencast uranium mining. 

Pro-uranium activists from the proposed mining areas have started to drum up support for the Rs 1,046 crore Kylleng Pyndemsohiong-Mawthabah uranium project.

''Our group is surging up after several people jumped into the bandwagon favouring uranium mining,'' said Wonder V Myrthong, chairman of the West Khasi Hills Confederation of Associations Through Uranium Mining (WKHCATUM) here today.

WKHCATUM is a conglomeration of over 15 social organisations wanting the state government to sanction the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to mine uranium in the state. 

''There are many of our friends, who had earlier opposed to the project, now joined us to support for development activities in our backward area,'' Myrthong said. 

In order to facilitate uranium mining, the government has approved the lease land to the UCIL for 30 years in the uranium-rich West Khasi Hills district for Rs 1,000 crore ''pre-project'' developmental works. 

''This only a pre-project developmental work to provide better educational institutions, hospitals and roads and other infrastructure to the people and we have agreed to allow that land be released for 30 years covering 422 hectares,'' Chief Minister D D Lapang said. 

The developmental project would entail Rs 1,000 crore, Mr Lapang said, adding the Corporation would invest Rs 209 crore in the initial phase. 

However, anti-mining groups termed the government’s approval as "nothing but a ploy to facilitate the uranium mining" in West Khasi Hills. 

''Under no circumstances, we would allow the government to go ahead with the mining operation in the area,'' Khasi Student’s Union (KSU) president Samuel Jyrwa said. 

The KSU, which is also drumming-up support to oppose uranium mining, said the government’s initiative to start ''pre-project'' developmental works in the proposed mining areas were aimed at serving the long term interests of the UCIL. 

''We are not against development, but we are against development that facilitates uranium mining,'' Jyrwa said and claimed that mining of uranium would surely affect the people of Meghalaya.