HYDERABAD: Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) Director Dr DK Sinha said on Monday that it has suspended plans of taking up survey and drilling of boreholes to estimate the uranium deposits in Amrabad Tiger Reserve "for the time being", as the state government is not in favour of the project due to public sentiment against it.
He said this in Hyderabad during a media interaction on the sidelines of a one-day seminar on 'Radiation and Environment' organised by the Indian Nuclear Society at the AMD office in Begumpet.
Sinha pointed out that books containing unscientific and false information regarding uranium exploration were circulated among the public, creating fear among them that if the exploration is taken up, they will die. He stressed that there is a need to educate the public that uranium exploration requiring drilling of boreholes as narrow as 52 mm is a usual and safe procedure.
Calling the AMD's decision to suspend the project 'Telangana's loss', Sinha said there is no hurry for it as many other mining-friendly states are welcoming them like Rajasthan and Jharkhand where AMD is taking up similar projects.
He added that the interest in such projects lies in the fact that exploration for uranium also throws up information regarding availability of other valuable minerals, like how gold and chromium were revealed during uranium exploration in Jharkhand.
Pointing out that Telangana is no more the 'focus' state for AMD, Sinha informed that a second mine is being planned at Tummalapalle in YSR Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. It was informed that the expansion would cost around Rs 700 crores and the notification for public hearing regarding the same will be issued within three months.