Meghalaya CM firm on leasing of land to UCIL 

Shillong, Sep 23 : Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang today reiterated the stand of his government not to revoke the Cabinet's decision to lease out land to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL). 

''There is no looking back on it. The Cabinet has approved to lease out 422 hectares of land to UCIL for 30 years to undertake pre-developmental projects in the proposed Uranium mining areas,'' Mr Lapang told reporters here. 

The proposed pre-developmental project has been approved at the cost of Rs 209 crore, Mr Lapang said, adding these projects will facilitate uranium mining in West Khasi hills district. 

''Look, the UCIL has sanctioned Rs 209 crore to start the first phase developmental programmes in the area. There is no hide and seek and the UCIL has sanctioned the money and their ultimate target is to mine uranium,'' the Chief Minister said. 

The UCIL will first focus on developmental activities in the Uranium areas and in the second phase the UCIL will start its mining operation, he asserted. 

''We are firm with our decision,'' Mr Lapang said, pointing out that the open-cast uranium in Meghalaya's West Khasi hills district should start to meet the country's requirement. 

The UCIL would invest Rs 1,000 crore to undertake pre-developmental project activities to build schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. Initially, the government-owned mining company would invest Rs 209 crore for these projects. 

The Khasi Students' Union (KSU) has even launched its first phase of agitation to protest the Cabinet's decision.