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Shillong, May 20: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that his government would look into the alleged illegal extraction and transportation of uranium by the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) and Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL).

“Since there are such reports, we will definitely look into it,” Sangma told reporters here on Monday.

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) South West Khasi Hills District has also asked the state government to take action against the UCIL and the AMD.

The demand came following the recent seizure of a package containing uranium at Moreh in Manipur.

Stating that the state government has been very firm on uranium mining issue, Sangma said, “As far as my knowledge (is concerned), there is no such activity going on, and there is no question of this happening. The issue (of uranium mining) is very sensitive, so there is no question that the government would allow anything like that.”

Admitting that he was not aware of such package being seized, the Chief Minister said that since the matter has been mentioned, the government would look into it.

The KSU had also demanded from both the state government and the KHADC to not only express their opposition against uranium mining in the state, but to also pressurise the Centre to ensure that uranium mining is closed in Meghalaya.

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 environmental clearances granted for open cast mining and drilling at Domiasiat and Mawthabah area in 2017.

“If (L) Purno A 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 also demand that Conrad Sangma should do the same in the interest of the people,” KSU SWKH president Forwardman Nongrem said.