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Shillong , Sept 17 The Khasi Students Union has announced a series of programmes to protest the Meghalaya government&aposs decision to lease land to the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd for pre-project development work in uranium-rich areas of the state.
The student body had set a 15-day deadline ending September 15 for the government to revoke the decision.

KSU president Samuel Jyrwa said last night that the programmes would include a sit-in protest in Shillong on September 22 and a public meeting the following day.

Anti-mining groups led by the KSU feel that the UCIL projects would not bring development to the areas concerned as claimed by the government.

Jyrwa said,"We had given ample time to the government to reconsider its stand on the pre-project programmes.

Chief Minister D D Lapang had made it clear that the government would not review the decision to lease 422 sq hectares of land having uranium deposits in West Khasi Hills for 30 years to UCIL for pre-project developmental work.

The UCIL had agreed to earmark Rs 209 crore to carry out pre-project development programmes, including health care facilities, power, drinking water, educational institutions and roads.