"Over 16,000 tonnes of uranium deposits have been located in the Mahadek basin of Meghalaya. Apart from Meghalaya, surveys in other states have found that there are no economic concentration of uranium anywhere else," regional director of AMD R Mohanty said.
In other states, rock types found are not favourable for uranium mineralisation, but Arunachal Pradesh has the potential though no deposits have been found there so far, he said, adding that surveys were conducted on in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
Meanwhile, scientists of BARC and officials of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) today met state government officials, Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues on the prospects of uranium mining and sought to allay apprehensions of health hazards expressed by some quarters.
Head of the Public Awareness Division of DAE S K Malhotra said the Centre is eager to start the mining project in the state which has been stalled due to protests from various organisations.
"Locals in the area where the mining is proposed are convinced, but some urban groups are opposing it. But there is no scientific reason for opposing the project," Malhotra said.
Referring to the statutory environmental, forest and pollution clearances, Malhotra said the UCIL is awaiting the state government's nod to start the Rs 1100 crore project that has hung fire for over one and half decades.
Tomorrow the scientists would meet the warring groups in yet another bid to break the stalemate.
The mining issue in Meghalaya has been suspended for over one and a half decade now with some prominent NGOs and political parties vehemently opposing the proposal on the grounds that it would lead to degradation of the environment besides opening the floodgates for outsiders into the tribal state.
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