The arid and backward Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh may well be sitting over one of the world’s largest uranium reserves. The uranium reserves in and around Tummalapalle village in Kadapa district were initially estimated at 15,000 tonne, but continuous exploration has shown promise of further reserves. Last year, the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), in its fresh estimate, said the uranium reserves in the district can go up to 1.5 lakh tonne, a 10-fold increase from the original estimate.

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman Srikumar Banerjee said that the most valuable uranium ore in the country was in M. Tummalapalle in Kadapa district.

He formally launched an uranium ore mine and processing plant at M. Tummalapalle in Vemula mandal of Kadapa district on Friday. Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, he said that they had detected valuable uranium ore in the area in 2004, and the then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had launched the project on November 20, 2007.

The Meghalaya government on Friday denied a report that fish in the State's Ranikor river were dying due to exploratory drilling for uranium ore and claimed the water had turned toxic from substances used by local people for fishing.

“The fish have died not due to exploratory drilling for uranium ore but due to the toxicity of the river where local people use toxic substances for catching fish,” Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M. Lanong said.

Atomic Energy Commission chairman Srikumar Banerjee will commission the Rs. 1,106 crore uranium ore mine and processing plant set up by Uranium Corporation of India at Thummalapalle village in Vemula mandal in Kadapa district on Friday, April 20.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had cleared the uranium ore mining and processing plant at Thummapalle in August 2007 and then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy laid foundation stone in November that year.

Jamshedpur, April 17: Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) today commissioned its last mining project in the state — an underground mine at Mohuldih in Rajnagar block of Seraikela-Kharsawan district, about 25km from Jamshedpur. Speaking after the commissioning, chairman-cum-managing director of the public sector unit Diwakar Acharya said the uranium ore found during exploration at the site was not high grade, but the proximity to a milling unit at Turamdih 7km away, made UCIL opt for the project.

The American company, Dow Chemicals, should not be sponsoring the Olympics, said the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Ms Jayanthi Natarajan. Speaking to a group of media persons on the sidelines of Business Ethics Conference — Beacon 2012, organised by Loyola Institute of Business Administration here on Friday, she said a company that harmed the environment should not be allowed, at any cost, to sponsor the Olympics.

“I find it ridiculous. Dow Chemicals has absolutely no moral standing,” she said.

The Tummalapalle uranium mine located in YSR district of Andhra Pradesh would be commissioned by early April.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has estimated uranium reserves of the mine at 1.5 lakh tonnes, which are one of the largest in the world.

The DAE Spokesperson, Mr S.K. Malhotra, said that the mine is ready but the uranium processing plants are still under construction, which will take another two months to complete. The mine is a part of the Kadapa basin and has significant reserves of uranium therefore the DAE is concentrating its energies on this area.

Yadgir district in-charge to meet Chief Minister today

Residents of Gogi village and surrounding places, along with local legislators, have strongly opposed uranium mining by the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (UCIL) in their village in Yadgir district and have demanded that the Government cancel the project, which they fear will cause health hazards.

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has admitted that the Atomic Mineral Division (AMD) has requested the State Government for shifting the proposed Kynshi Stage-II hydro-electric project to another site.

“I have been brief by AMD officials that if the project is not shifted it will submerge areas where there are uranium deposits,” Dr Sangma told reporters on Friday.

The government will spend Rs 30 crore in removing 346 tonnes of toxic waste from the Bhopal gas tragedy site, over 25 years after the deadly industrial disaster took place.

The waste will be taken to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-controlled incineration facility near Nagpur, Maharashtra.