Shillong, July 30: A spot inquiry to locate exploratory drilling of uranium deposits by the Atomic Minerals Division (AMD) in areas under South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) District will be conducted by members of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) soon.

The State government has also instructed the Deputy Commissioner of South West Khasi Hills district to seek clarification from the AMD for undertaking such activity in the district.

Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that the state government had in the past communicated to the UCIL officially regarding the cabinet decision to cancel the lease agreement for utilizing a land measuring about 422 hectares for various pre-mining developmental activities within the project site of Kylleng-Pyndengsohïong-Mawthabah.

Tynsong informed that the state did not also receive any fresh communication from the Central government in as far as uranium issue is concerned.

A delegation of the Executive Committee of the KHADC which will visit Mawthabah and Wahkaji area on August 2, will be led by the chief executive member, Hispreaching Son Shylla.

Shylla told reporters on Monday that if found that the AMD was carrying out exploratory drilling of uranium, necessary action will be taken.

“They cannot create unrest when they knew that our youth are even willing to give their lives over this issue,” he said.

The KHADC CEM alleged that the AMD and the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) were trying to use the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of the state government for carrying out the drilling activities in the district.

Shylla informed that the KHADC had written to the AMD to seek explanation if permission was given to them to undertake such activities.

Terming the action as “highly illegal”, Shylla also slammed the AMD for by-passing not only the state government and the KHADC but also its own department (Department of Atomic Energy) which has assured that Uranium mining project will not be forcefully pushed in Meghalaya.

Shylla said that he had sent a letter to Union Minister of State for DoNER Jitendra Singh last year, and the Centre had referred the matter to the Department of Atomic Energy for appropriate action.

“In response to my letter, the DAE Deputy Secretary (PSU) S.B. Bose clarified that the work on ground for the project will not be forcefully pushed and it will start only after obtaining all statutory clearances from the state government and all concerned authorities, which includes the consent of the people at the project site in Meghalaya,” Shylla said.

Shylla however wondered as to how the AMD had gone to South West Khasi Hills district by bypassing the Council and the state.