Lok Sabha Question No. 1786 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Effects of Uranium Mining
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1786

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## Effects of Uranium Mining

## 1786. SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Uranium Corporation of India Limited conducted field surveys to look into the problems faced by the people in Tummalapalle of Kadapa district due to Uranium mining and if so, the details of the number of people who were surveyed;
- (b) whether health concerns faced by the individuals due to groundwater contamination, air pollution and other such issues were surveyed;
- (c) if so, the details of youth facing health issues due to such mining, gender-wise;
- (d) whether the PSU pays pensions to the villagers past the age of sixty who were rehabilitated due to mining;
- (e) if  so,  the  details of the pension that has been provided and the total number of people above the age of sixty who have been rehabilitated, State- wise; and
- (f) whether State Government has concurred with the mining of uranium in Tummalapalle district, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) to (c) Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, is a mining company, engaged in mining and processing of Uranium ore in the country for the last six decades. The technology adopted in UCIL is mechanized and eco-friendly which are in compliance with the international standards. UCIL operations are

being  regularly  monitored  by  the  Health  Physics  Unit/Environmental  Survey  Laboratory established by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). UCIL is committed to maintain the various radiological parameters below the threshold limit values/standards recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and adopted by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).  UCIL's operations are under stringent surveillance of various  regulatory  authorities  such  as  Director  General  of  Mines  Safety  (DGMS),  State Pollution  Control  Board  (SPCB),  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change (MoEFCC) and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) etc.  In order to address various allegations  by  the  surrounding  local  villagers  and  NGOs  against  UCIL  operations  at Tummalapalle, different scientific investigations have been conducted in and around the area at the behest of Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board. The details of which are as follows:

1. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras conducted hydrological investigations to establish the source  of  ground  water  contamination  in  the  neighbouring  villages surrounding the tailing pond of M/s. UCIL. The report concludes that there is no discernible dissolved uranium plume emanating from the tailing pond of UCIL.  However, the presence of high concentration of uranium in groundwater around the upstream areas is solely due to natural uranium deposits in the area which has degraded the water quality and hence the tailing pond is not the probable cause of groundwater contamination in the nearby wells.
2. Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), Tirupati studied the alleged health issues in the areas and concluded that the health issues are not attributable to UCIL's operation.
3. National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Indian Council of Agricultural Research conducted studies on the alleged low yield / stunted growth of Agriculture crop in the surrounding villages, tailings pond of M/s. UCIL and their report concludes that uranium

operations at Tummalapalle do not attribute to contamination of agricultural lands in the area.

4. Isotope  and  Radiation  Application  Division  (IRAD),  BARC conducted  an  isotope hydrological study at Tummalapalle to identify the source of uranium contamination in ground waters. The report concludes that the presence of high uranium observed in some wells were geogenic in nature and not derived from the tailing pond or decant pond.
5. M/s. Mecon, A Government of India Enterprise conducted Hydrogeological Investigations for tailings pond area at Tummalapalle to study the alleged ground water contamination. The report concludes that the elevated uranium concentrations in water is observed  when  the  bore  wells  intersect  the  ore  body.  Based  on  the  above  scientific investigations, it is well established that UCIL operations at Tummalapalle have not caused any  health  issues,  groundwater/agricultural  land  contamination  in  and  around  the  area. None  the  less,  due  to  the  requests  from  the  local  public,  specialists'  doctors  like Dermatologist and Gynecologist have been engaged by the company and are regularly visiting all the surrounding villages under the Rural Medical Camps.
3. (d)    No Sir.
4. (e)    Does not arise in view of (d) above.
5. (f)    Yes  Sir.  All  the  statutory  clearances  like  Mining  Lease  from  Department  of  Mines  & Geology, Consent for operation (CFO) & Consent for Establishment (CFE) from Pollution Control Board for Tummalapalle project have been obtained from Government of Andhra Pradesh.

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