VELLORE: Rajamalai in Odugathur reserve forest range in Vellore district, situated some 30 km from here, has become a preferred destination for the Department of Atomic Energy as the area has been identified as a potential source of uranium and thorium.A team of officials from the department and technical workers are camping on the foothill villages to begin preliminary investigation. According to sources, the state forest department had given its approval for the operation about two months back. However, camping, lighting fires, working during nights, cutting of trees and disturbing wildlife have been prohibited. Following the approval, a temporary road has been laid to transport materials to the site.The possibility of uranium and thorium deposits here came to light in the 1990s when the Department of Atomic Energy had conducted aerial surveys. A qualitative assessment was made using satellite geo-mapping techniques recently and it was found that some portions of the hilltop had exhibited possibilities of good deposits of uranium and thorium that could be used for generation of energy. However, sources indicated that a thorough study of the samples extracted from the site alone could decide whether it was worth taking the exploration to the next level. As of now, it is said that the forest department has allowed the study to be conducted in about 10 sqkm on the hill.Sources also said that a makeshift laboratory has also been set up at Alangayam to carry out primary level tests on samples extracted from the site. For further analysis, samples may be sent to the department’s laboratories in Bangalore. Drilling work has been entrusted to private contractors, who are in the process of establishing the rig system at the site. Enquiries revealed that around 10 to 12 holes might be drilled, each 100 meters deep. The work is expected to go on for six to eight months.While villagers living on the foothill are not aware about the activities taking place on the hill, PMK MLA Kalaiarasu, under whose constituency the site falls, welcomed the initiative taken by the Government of India to explore uranium in his constituency.Underlining the urgent need for uranium to meet the energy demands, Kalaiarasu said, if full-fledged extraction activities were to begin here, it would provide ample job opportunities for the locals. While he expected the operation to be absolutely safe, he appealed to the government to come out with a white paper on the safety aspects of the operation.
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