Minister wants uranium exploration stalled

Opposing uranium mining at a village in Karnataka on grounds of health hazard, state Minister for Small Scale Industries Raju Gowda said here that he would press the BJP government in the state to cancel the permission granted to the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) for the project.

The project for mining uranium in Gogi village in the newly-created Yadgir district in the northern part of the state if allowed would pose “a grave health hazard” to the people, Gowda, who is also minister in-charge of the district, said.

Speaking to reporters after holding consultations with people of the Gogi village, elected representatives from the area, scientists and experts here, the Minister said he would soon meet Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to cancel the permission given to UCIL for undertaking uranium mining. The state government in July last accorded in-principle approval to UCIL to undertake mining uranium and consented to allot 102 hectares in Gogi village for the purpose.

When his attention was drawn to the consent given by some farmers to part with their land for uranium mining, Gowda said they were unaware of the health hazard the activity posed and its impact on environment. He said the UCIL had already commenced its operations and dug up 273 metre-long tunnel and was discharging effluents into a nearby tank.

He claimed that the exploration work had caused health problems to several people. UCIL has been engaged in uranium exploratory work in the village since 2007.