Mumbai: Allaying safety fears of project
affected people over the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power plant
in coastal Konkan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj
Chavan on Tuesday appealed people not to believe in rumours.
"The project has been designed by our own scientists. How
can it be dangerous. How will I allow the project if it was
harmful to the people. Please do not believe in rumours,"
Chavan said.
The Chief Minister was speaking at an `open house`
meeting organised by him to make people aware about the
project and clear doubts and misunderstandings in this regard.
However, some of the project affected people boycotted
the meeting demanding halt to the entire power plant.
Defending the need for nuclear energy, Chavan said "nuclear
energy is a clean source of power worldwide. It has no affect
on the environment. But for those who oppose the project on
ideological grounds (those against use of nuclear power),
nothing can be done about it."
On a major concern from the fishing community in the
area, the experts from the Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Limited (NPCIL) said the project will not prevent or harm
their business.
A villager who attended the meeting asked if the hot
water discharge from the nuclear plant into sea would affect
marine life and fishing.
"The hot water would be discharged inside the sea with
the help of a tunnel. The temperature limit is only up to five
degree centigrade in first 200 metre and even less in next 200
metre area which will certainly not destroy the marine life,"
Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Dr S Banerjee said.
On safety of reactors and opposition to the French
company Areva which is providing the reactors, CMD of NPCIL Dr
SK Jain said the reactors need regulatory clearance from the
country where they are to be set up.
"In our country, the reactors need `specific` regulatory
clearance unlike US where generic clearance is given. The
regulatory body monitors the safety norms before the
clearance," Jain said.
Reports of Areva being blacklisted are not true, he said.
"It is a French Government company and technologically
advanced. It was never fined for violating safety norms," he
added.
Former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anil
Kakodkar elaborated on atomic waste and its processing.
The plant would have a processing unit to deal with
atomic waste, he said.
"There is no hazard of the waste to the bio-diversity of
Konkan region. The fuel would come from outside and taken to
reprocessing plant after the use. So there is no question of
the waste being thrown in the open areas," Kakodkar said.
Health problems due to radiation were answered by Dr R A
Badwe, Director of Tata Memorial Cancer hospital.
The Chief Minister declined to answer questions related
to the rehabilitation of the people. He said a committee has
been set up to look into the matter.
Satisfied with the open house process, the Chief Minister
said another such meeting would be held in Konkan.
PTI
