ID :
16495
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 17:54
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http://m.oananews.org//node/16495
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Kakodkar to hold parleys on uranium project
uranium mining project in India's North-eastern state Meghalaya, Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar will arrive here Thursday to hold parleys with the anti-mininggroups.
Official sources said Kakodkar will meet Chief Minister Donkupar Roy and other government officials, besides conveying Centre's views to the anti-mining groups, including political parties in the ruling coalition like the H.S.P.D.P. andK.H.N.A.M.
Both the parties have been opposing the project citinghealth hazards from radiation.
Kakodkar will be accompanied by top officials of theA.E.C.
The visit of the A.E.C. chairman assumes significance in view of the current demand for uranium in the country and the Centre's recent decision to go ahead with the Indo-US nucleardeal.
The Centre is learnt to be eager to start mining atMawthabah in West Khasi Hills district here at the earliest.
Earlier, an all-party committee on the project formed two separate groups of experts in a bid to allay the fears ofhealth hazards arising out of the mining.
The state government would take a decision once the expert groups submit their report even as the Centre had givenenvironmental clearance for it in December last.
Meghalaya has around 3,75,000 tonnes of uranium ore as per surveys done by the A.E.C. and can fulfil 16 percent ofthe country's current demand.
The mining project, estimated at around USD 1 billion, has hung fire in the wake of opposition from various quarters,including NGOs and political parties.
Official sources said Kakodkar will meet Chief Minister Donkupar Roy and other government officials, besides conveying Centre's views to the anti-mining groups, including political parties in the ruling coalition like the H.S.P.D.P. andK.H.N.A.M.
Both the parties have been opposing the project citinghealth hazards from radiation.
Kakodkar will be accompanied by top officials of theA.E.C.
The visit of the A.E.C. chairman assumes significance in view of the current demand for uranium in the country and the Centre's recent decision to go ahead with the Indo-US nucleardeal.
The Centre is learnt to be eager to start mining atMawthabah in West Khasi Hills district here at the earliest.
Earlier, an all-party committee on the project formed two separate groups of experts in a bid to allay the fears ofhealth hazards arising out of the mining.
The state government would take a decision once the expert groups submit their report even as the Centre had givenenvironmental clearance for it in December last.
Meghalaya has around 3,75,000 tonnes of uranium ore as per surveys done by the A.E.C. and can fulfil 16 percent ofthe country's current demand.
The mining project, estimated at around USD 1 billion, has hung fire in the wake of opposition from various quarters,including NGOs and political parties.
