Meghalaya govt will back people's decision on uranium mining: Deputy CM

Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on July 7 reiterated that the state government will not move forward with uranium mining unless it has the support of the people, assuring that public interest will remain the top priority.

Responding to concerns raised by the Khasi Students' Union over the issue of uranium mining, Dhar said the government remains committed to protecting the interests of the people through consultation and balanced development.

"We are very clear. We are with the people of the state. Uranium mining cannot be allowed unless the whole state is on board," the deputy chief minister said.

He added that whenever allegations or concerns are raised, the government verifies the facts before taking any decision.

"The government is always trying to verify whether people are on board. That is our top priority," he said.

Dhar maintained that the government's development initiatives are driven by the objective of improving the state's overall growth and are not intended to have adverse consequences.

"Whenever we undertake development, we never have negative thinking behind it. Development is development," he said.

The deputy chief minister also rejected suggestions that the government was focusing only on uranium-bearing areas, asserting that development projects are being implemented equitably across Meghalaya.

"The government does not bring development only to uranium areas. Development is equally distributed across the state," he added.