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Shillong, Aug. 26 : The anti-mining lobby in Shillong has begun working overtime to oppose the state cabinet’s decision to allow groundwork for uranium mining in West Khasi Hills.

The powerful Khasi Students’ Union today termed the cabinet’s decision as a total sell-out of the interest of the people to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and indicated drastic steps to prevent work.

KSU president Samuel Jyrwa said: “Our central executive committee will meet soon to chalk out our action plan to deal with the decision of the cabinet. Our stand is very clear. We are totally opposed to uranium mining and there is no change in our approach.”

He said the state cabinet has taken a hurried decision despite the fact that a majority had opposed uranium mining during the official public hearing held on June 12, 2007, in West Khasi Hills.

The state cabinet yesterday gave its nod to pre-development work to be undertaken by the UCIL at the uranium mining sites with a budget of Rs 209 crore. The cabinet also favoured leasing out around 422 acres to UCIL to start uranium mining.

The government hopes to get a royalty of Rs 20 crore a year once mining begins.

“We feel that these development activities are not for the sake of the people and once the schools and health centres are constructed, they will be taken over by the UCIL and will become their properties,” he said.

“We are not against development, but the aggressive development pattern risking the welfare of the people are not acceptable to us,” Jyrwa said.

The KSU leader said they are also concerned over the heath hazards of uranium mining.

“You cannot buy health with money,” Jyrwa said.