Protests after Ministry's nod for Uranium mining
Ahead of the assembly elections in Meghalaya, CM D D Lapang is facing protests over the clearance to go ahead with the proposed uranium mining.
By PTI |
SHILLONG: Ahead of the assembly elections in Meghalaya, chief minister D D Lapang has landed in a piquant situation following protests from organizations over the Environment and Forest ministry’s clearance to Uranium Corporation of India Limited to go ahead with the proposed uranium mining.
Lapang has sought the opinion of all political parties to help the government take a decision over the proposed mining, a pestering issue that saw violent protests early last year.
Congress insiders here said the party wanted to wash its hands off the matter and so the chief minister has asked the political parties for suggestion before the government decides on whether to allow the UCIL to go ahead with the mining.
The chief minister’s move comes in the wake of protests by organizations, including the powerful Khasi Students Union (KSU), which has demanded the state government not to allow the UCIL to proceed with the mining.
Terming the environment ministry's clearance as ‘unfortunate’, the KSU said such a ‘decision’ is detrimental to the people of the state.
In fact, KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said it would convene a meeting with various political parties next week to discuss the ‘sensitive parts’ of the proposed mining. A separate meeting will also be held with leaders of various organizations, he added.
The Meghalaya People's Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has also strongly opposed the clearance saying under no circumstances will the commission "accept the ministry's approval."
Lapang has sought the opinion of all political parties to help the government take a decision over the proposed mining, a pestering issue that saw violent protests early last year.
Congress insiders here said the party wanted to wash its hands off the matter and so the chief minister has asked the political parties for suggestion before the government decides on whether to allow the UCIL to go ahead with the mining.
The chief minister’s move comes in the wake of protests by organizations, including the powerful Khasi Students Union (KSU), which has demanded the state government not to allow the UCIL to proceed with the mining.
Terming the environment ministry's clearance as ‘unfortunate’, the KSU said such a ‘decision’ is detrimental to the people of the state.
In fact, KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said it would convene a meeting with various political parties next week to discuss the ‘sensitive parts’ of the proposed mining. A separate meeting will also be held with leaders of various organizations, he added.
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The Meghalaya People's Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has also strongly opposed the clearance saying under no circumstances will the commission "accept the ministry's approval."
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