Shillong, August 01: After the meeting with the NGOs at the KHADC, on the issue of NOC that was taken by the Executive committee of PN Syiem to grant NOC ofr the road project from Nongtoin to Wahkaji it has come to the conclusion that the KHADC will revert back the decision taken by the Executive Committee that NOC will issue for the said road project, apart from this road the road from Wahkaji to Ranikor will also will not issue NOC.
The meeting was chair by the CEM of the KHADC Mr P N Syiem has instead took the decision to allot Rs 20 crores from 133 crores sanctioned by the central government through the Special Assistance scheme for repairing of roads, much to the disappointment of the pro-road organizations.
Speaking to reporter at the end of the crucial meeting between the pro-road and anti road organizations, PN Syiem said, “We have decided to instead repair the existing road for the people to have better access to road connectivity and Rs 20 crore from the Special Assistance scheme of Rs 133 crore has been earmarked for repair of roads in these regions.”
The council will write to the Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) officially to show their opposition to pre-mining activities,” he added. The repair will start from Nongstoin 10 km under Nongstoin division and remaining 33 km is under Mawkyrwat division and other divisions, he informed. Out of the Rs 20 crore, Rs 15 crore will be sanctioned for road repair and Rs 5 crore for new approach road to which villages will be identified
An anti-road project activist Khasi Student Union (KSU) president Daniel Khyriem has welcomed the decision of the KHADC to scrap the proposed NOC for the road project.In this connection, he said, “We want the KHADC to write to the state and central government to cancel all the tenders floated by UCIL which has a desire to introduce pre mining of uranium in the region and also to start with the road repair at the earliest.”
When asked about the unclear statement of the non-issuance of NOC to only the two road projects, Khyriem said that from the KSU side also they have not reach any decision as to which projects the NOC should be issued and not but will have to see the steps taken by the KHADC in the coming days.
He said “This chapter of uranium mining here in our state should be done away with once and for all and if the KHADC stands strong I don’t see that the central government can take any steps toward uranium mining by force.”
Interestingly in a contradicting statement made by secretary of Joint Action Committee Two-Lane Road Nongstoin-Mawthabah (JACTLRNM) a pro road project leader Sandy Myrthong said, “We are not satisfied by the decision taken by the KHADC on the two-lane road project since the Council should reject all projects which clearly states to facilitate uranium mining.”
Further he said, “We support the suggestion made by the HSPDP in which they said that any project which states to facilitate uranium mining no NOC should be given so as not to divide the opinion of the people of the state.He said the Joint Action Committee will continue to fight for the cause of the people of the region to avail the two-lane road project.
