Maharashtra govt says all’s well at Jaitapur

Amid boycott by dissenting voices, the open house on Jaitapur power project organised by the state government managed to project a happy picture of the nuclear plant. Almost all the participants supported the project.

Most of the participants, including the project affected people, welcomed the project and asserted that people with vested interest were spreading misconceptions. One of them suggested stern action against the rumour-mongers.

The public meeting, held at the YB Chavan centre at Nariman Point on Tuesday, was a follow up to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s promise to the legislative assembly in December.

Local groups opposed to the project stayed away protesting the wrong acquisition policy of the government. They are also seeking withdrawal of criminal cases against people opposing the plant.

Eminent panellists, including the Srikumar Banerjee, chairman, atomic energy commission; Anil Kakodkar, noted scientist; SK Jain, chairman and managing director, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL); Dr Rajendra Badwe, director Tata Hospital; and scientists from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre were present to answer the queries raised by people residing in villages near the project.

NPCIL made a presentation throwing light on the frequently raised questions, including the nuclear radiation from the project and its impact, impact on fishing, horticultural farming, disposal of atomic waste.

Dr Badwe asserted that only 0.5% of the cancer cases are caused due the radiation in the world and it would be misleading to say that the people in surrounding areas would suffer from cancer.

“The study conducted in the area of Tarapur nuclear project has proved that the rate of occurrence of cancer among workers exposed to radiation is on a par with the number of patients with no exposure to radiation,” he said.

Responding to a question on the availability of the nuclear fuel, Kakodkar said the uranium stock available across the globe can last for more than 100 years.

Locals from Ratnagiri expressed apprehension about fishing in the area around the project. Officials from NPCIL said that fishing would be restricted only in an area of 200 metres and it would not affect fishing activities.

“Secondly, the hot water from the reactors will be discharged in deep water through a tunnel and it would not, in any way, affect fishing,” Jain said.

He assured that they will follow the government orders relating to the compensation to the fishermen in the area.

Jayendra Parulekar, an activist from Ratnagiri, suggested that the government rethink about mining and thermal power projects threatening the environment and ecology of the Konkan belt.

“If the mining and thermal project, which pose serious environmental threats, are scrapped, the resistance to the nuclear project will automatically recede,” he said.