PMO looks to Meghalaya for uranium mining

Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy said on Tuesday that following the PMO’s intervention, his Government had requested UCIL to first create awareness in the state and redress people’s concerns before beginning mining of uranium ore in the state.

“UCIL needs to convince people that there will be no hazards resulting from uranium mining in the state,” Roy said. He added though this topic did not figure in his meeting with the PM on April 28, he later got a call from the PMO seeking his government’s help in facilitating UCIL’s cause.

Top Meghalaya Government officials told The Indian Express that the state Government wanted to create a conducive atmosphere and clear all doubts being raised by the public and the anti-mining lobby before allowing UCIL to proceed with setting up its operations.

During his meeting with the PM, the Meghalaya CM submitted a memorandum seeking the Centre’s help in a slew of infrastructure projects. The projects include construction of a road running parallel to the state’s 423 km- long border with Bangladesh, a railway line from Goalpara to Silchar and upgradation of the Shillong airport. “We have also sought a bus service between Tura and Dhaka. If we are allowed to cross Bangladesh, this bus service can reduce travel time between Meghalaya and Kolkata to just eight hours,” Roy said.

Meanwhile, the Planning Commission on Tuesday cleared Rs 1,500 crore for the year 2008-09 for Meghalaya as against the Rs 1,120 crore approved during the last fiscal.