Andhra govt backs uranium mining in Nalgonda

The Andhra Pradesh government today announced its support to the proposed mining of uranium and setting up of a refinery plant in Nalgonda district, while assuring the state legislative Assembly that all environmental safeguards would be taken before giving the final permission.

The proposed plant, to be set up by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), is expected to come up in the catchment area of Krishna river.

Replying to questions by the Bharatiya Janata Party and MIM members on the concerns of the local people about contamination of the river and possible health hazards to the people of the surrounding areas, Sabita Reddy, minister for mining and geology, said the location of the proposed operations had been shifted 22 km farther from the original site, which was near the historic Nagarjuna Sagar dam.

The 40 stringent norms imposed by the Government of India on UCIL operations in Naglonda district before it accorded its permission would be strictly followed, the minister said, adding the state government was also studying the report submitted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board on the project.

The announcement by the government drew flak from members of all the Opposition parties, including TDP and the Left. Opposing the proposed uranium mining, the members expressed the apprehension that radioactive material would contaminate Krishna river water and expose people in the surrounding areas as well as those living in Hyderabad to serious health hazards.

Citing various study reports, the minister said that the traces of uranium content were at much higher levels in Osman Sagar (5.8 micro grams per litre), Himayat Sagar (7.8 micro grams per litre) and Hussain Sagar (20.0 micro grams per litre) than in the Nagarjuna Sagar dam where the same was well within the limits at 2 micro grams per litre as prescribed by the Atomic Energy Commission.

"If that is the case, the citizens of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, who have been drinking water from Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes for ages would have been more prone to radiation-related hazards than the people of Nalgonda," she said.

Sabita Reddy also maintained that India needed more nuclear reactors to meet its energy needs. As of now, atomic energy accounts for only 3 per cent of the total energy mix, she added. She also sought the support of all the political parties in augmenting the country's nuclear fuel needs.

While the BJP and CPI members, not convinced by her reply, staged a walkout from the House, members of the main opposition, TDP, and CPI (M), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and MIM registered their protest against the proposed operations.