The government announced after a meeting with the Coordination Committee of Social Organisations (CCSO) and Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) separately thatthe government would not go ahead with the proposed Rs 2098 crore pre-development project of UCIL in the uranium mining area and would be “kept on hold” for three months.
“A committee dubbed Joint Committee on Uranium Mining of Meghalaya (JCUMM) headed by Minister for Mining and Geology, Bindo Lanong as its Chairman, seven members from CCSO, KSU each, environmentalist, independent groups and representatives from the media would be part of the committee,” Chief Minister DD Lapang said after the meeting.
Lapang said, both the State Government and the NGOs have decided today not to go ahead with the August 24 Cabinet decision. “It was agreed that the pre-development project in the 422 hectares of land in the mining area would be kept on hold for three months,” the CM said.
He further informed that the government would go ahead with development projects worth Rs 188 crore in West Khasi Hills soon. “The fund is available and it would go into building of new infrastructure in the district,” Lapang added.
Meanwhile, JCUMM would study the controversial Uranium mining subject and come up with a report for the government within three months. “Collective decision would be taken on the uranium mining subject taking everyone into consideration taking a fresh look on the issue,” Lapang said.
When asked if the government was keeping on hold the pre-development project, bowing under pressure, Deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, political parties like HSPDP and KHNAM who sought vote with anti-Uranium mining as one of its election manifesto in the last Assembly elections was rejected by the people.
“It means that people did not vote for these parties and therefore suggest the people’s mandate is not against uranium mining,” Sangma reasoned.