Shillong: The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has now set its sights on uranium occurring in and around the Balpakram National Park. A proposal to de-notify an area of 8 sq.km for exploratory mining in the Roncheng Plateau in the environs of Balpakram is already lying with the relevant departments of the Central Government. Environmentalists are alarmed that this would destroy the fragile pristine biodiversity hotspot of the State which is already waning due to rampant mining of coal and limestone by private individuals. The DAE had proposed exploratory drilling since 2008. The proposal had been placed as an agenda item in the Standing Committee Meeting of of National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) in December 2008 but could not be taken up for discussion since a detailed proposal was pending. Any non-forest activity like exploratory drilling inside a national park would need the approval of the NBWL. It is learnt that the NBWL will be considering the DAE