Jaitapur nuclear plant compensation finalised; villagers give in

After announcing an attractive compensation package for the controversial nuclear power project in Jaitapur, relief and rehabilitation minister Narayan Rane has assured that there will be no hindrance concerning the issue of land acquisition in the four affected villages and the project will start on time.

Announcing the acquisition at the market rate, Rane said that the package is one of the best compensation packages under the rehabilitation acts.

“We have also appointed a committee under the leadership of the district collector to ensure the best  compensation for the affected villagers. It has everything from employment to compensation for wages, to provisions for the development of the villages,” he said.

After signing the MoU with the government at Mantralaya, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) chairman and managing director SK Jain said that they want the local people to feel that the project is their own. “We want to assure them that the reactors we are installing are safe. We are bound by all standard regulations of various national bodies that ensure the protection of environment and ecology. Apart from development, the project also will ensure cheaper electricity in the state,” he added.

CB Jain, project director of the Jaitapur project, claimed that of the 2,335 landholders in the four opposing villages, 74 have accepted the compensation and the number will reach 200 in the coming month. “It’s the activists from other areas who are blowing the issue out of proportion,” he said.

As part of the package, NCPIL has offered Rs2 crore each to all the four affected villages for development. The company has assured Rs25 lakh per year for civic amenities. The affected families have also been given an option of either employment or Rs5 lakh as compensation.