Projects like uranium mining first examined by state, says Union Minister

Shillong, July 28: Union Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the whole issue related to projects including uranium is first examined by the state.

“For any project, the whole issue is first examined by the state. The state then sends information to the Centre through the regional system which we further examined. There are clear environment protection laws and in recent years, we have framed all sorts of waste management rules and well defined committee of experts that deals with the subject. Every project is assessed based on merits,” Vardhan told reporters when a query was raised on the Central government’s move to mine uranium in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district.

Vardhan said that the Centre has a well defined checking mechanisms to give or refuse clearances to any project.

There has been apprehensions that the Centre would mine uranium at Kylleng-Pyndengsohïong-Mawthabah in South West Khasi Hills district especially when the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) has been conducting exploratory drilling of uranium deposits in various places of the district.

A few days back, miscreants torched vehicles and machines belonging to the local AMD office at Wahkaji village in South West Khasi Hills.

Exploratory drilling of uranium deposits was also carried out for the past many years especially in areas under South West Khasi Hills district.

Anti-uranium groups especially the Khasi Students Union (KSU) are opposing the proposed mining of uranium in Meghalaya by the Centre through the UCIL.

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