Now Reading: Panel seeks faster uranium clearances to secure reactor fuel
-
01
Panel seeks faster uranium clearances to secure reactor fuel
A Parliamentary committee has recommended time-bound, single-window clearances and contiguous lease extensions for uranium mining to secure fuel supplies for India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor fleet. The panel said deeper or newly…
The Story in Brief
A Parliamentary committee has recommended time-bound, single-window clearances and contiguous lease extensions for uranium mining to secure fuel supplies for India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor fleet. The panel said deeper or newly identified ore bodies can extend beyond existing lease boundaries, forcing fresh leases and approvals under current Mines and Minerals laws. It cited deposits deeper than 600 metres, including Narwapahar, as cases where delays can hurt project viability.
The committee also proposed State-level arrangements for land, rehabilitation, industrial water and emergency planning, alongside a Department of Atomic Energy-led coordination platform. Uranium Corporation of India Ltd currently requires approvals from several agencies, including the environment ministry, AERB, DGMS and pollution control boards. India Today reports that the government has sent interim replies, but final decisions on legal changes and the clearance system are pending.
The Indian Opinion
Calls for faster uranium mining will attract both blanket anti-regulation claims and claims that every approval is needless red tape. Neither is adequate. Mining radioactive ore needs firm environmental, safety and rehabilitation safeguards, but repeated approvals can also undermine fuel planning. The real test is whether statutory timelines reduce delays without weakening scrutiny. The government should publish the final response and measure the permit-to-production time before and after reform.
Source: indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
