SHILLONG, JULY 7: Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Thursday demanded action against the UCIL for floating tender without getting NOC which is seen as a desperate attempt to forcibly mine uranium in Khasi hills region.
The KSU, which has been opposing mining of uranium in the state also demanded that the state government come out clear on its stand on the issue.
“We demand both the state government and KHADC to take action against the UCIL for going ahead in calling tender without getting any NOC from them,” KSU president Daniel Khyriem told reporters on Thursday.
He said , “KSU opposes against the manner in which the tender has been called as this clearly indicates the attempt of the UCIL to forcibly mine uranium in the region, which we will not allow.” He said the union reiterates its demands not to issue any NOC to the UCIL because its ‘hidden agenda’ is clear that it is for uranium mining.
The demand came after the UCIL on July 2, floated the Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting interested companies to implement various developmental activities in South West Khasi hills region.
Maintaining that union is not at all against development, Khyriem said, “In fact it was the KSU which have been demanding that the state government implement all the projects sanctioned for South West Khasi hills to bring it at par with other districts of the state.”
The KSU and other ngos have also opposed the construction of the 68 km two-lane Nongstoin to Mawthabah road project sanctioned under SARDP-NE.
The protest came after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MRTH)’s notification revealed that “The projects under SARDP-NE is for facilitating uranium mining.”
He, however, said, “We urged the KHADC to instead issue NOC for blacktopping of the existing single-lane (Nongstoin-Mawthabah),” adding “It is something surprising that the centre is interested in bringing a double-lane road to an area where there is hardly 5-6 vehicles plying in a day.”
When asked, the KSU leader said, “The protest is because after examining we came to a conclusion that if we allow mining of uranium, it would have a negative impact on the health of the people of the state especially when the UCIL in its tender had indicated that it is interested in open caste mining.”
He further stated that it is also time for the state government to make people aware on its stand with regards to issue related to the proposed uranium mining. “We would soon write to the state government on the matter,” Khyriem added.
On the other hand, KSU general secretary Auguster Jyrwa refuted the allegations that the union has been spreading rumours that the two-lane project is for facilitating uranium mining.
“This is not true because what we are saying is based on the MRTH’s notification which had stated that it is for uranium mining,” he said while lamenting that the different in opinion among the people has pave way for UCIL to take advantage of the situation by floating the tender.
Meanwhile in its memorandum submitted to the KHADC chief executive member PN Syiem, the KSU said, “The union reiterates its opposition in the strongest possible term to any intention by your Executive Committee in the KHADC to issue NOC to the road projects (double lane) which, according to the Special Accelerated Road development Programme for North-East (SARDP-NE) (Copy Enclosed), clearly indicates the objective of all the roads sanctioned in the district, will only be to facilitate uranium mining in the South West Khasi Hills District.”
Lauding the decision of the KHADC not to issue NOC for uranium mining, the memorandum said that the KSU is highly pleased to have learnt that, in the recently concluded session, the CEM on the floor of the house, decided and passed a resolution, to reject and opposed any proposal to issue NOC to mine uranium in the state.
The KSU said it shows the maturity, commitment and of the CEM who is concerned for the wellbeing of the people of South West Khasi hills in particular and the people of the state in general notwithstanding the pressures and influences of certain vested interest for monetary gain or otherwise.-By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours