At a time when there are mounting protests at Kudankulum inTamil Nadu against the plans of commissioning of the Russian-technology nuclearpower plant, a quiet development has taken place in Jaitapur in the coastalKonkan belt of Maharashtra.
Notwithstanding the protests at Kudunkalam, where there aretwo nuclear power plants of 1,000 MW each, the Centre and the Maharashtragovernment are keen that proposed plant at Jaitapur, comes up fast to meet thepower needs of India.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) hasopened a site information office at Jaitapur in Rajapur taluka in Ratnagiridistrict, where 9,990 MW nuclear power plants have been planned incollaboration with French company, Areva.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Janhit SevaSamiti-Madban, Konkan Bachao Samiti, Konkan Vinashkari Prakalpavirodhi Samiti,Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti-Ratnagiri, Ratnagiri Zilla Jagruk Manch andMadban-Mithgavne-Jaitapur Panchkrosh Sangarsh Samiti are planning to renewtheir agitation against the project. Greenpeace too have protested against theproject. “We are working on it….in thenext couple of months, we planned a phased agitation,” a senior activistinvolved in the anti-Jaitapur campaign said. Activists are also planning totalk to political parties including Shiv Sena, which has expressed its vehementopposition to the project.
NPCIL officialsconfirmed that they have opened a site information office. “The main aim is toestablish closer interaction with the neighbourhood and create awareness aboutthe nuclear energy,” the officials said. The office was opened recentlydifferent batches of villagers have visited the place “ and NPCIL officialsclaim that people have appreciated the move of the nuclear power producer. "Thereis so much of confusion, misinformation and disinformation about theproject," officials said adding that the information centre aims todispels the myths.
"The information centre was a necessity. This is inview of the fact that false information about nuclear power and nuclear powerplants are being spread and hence it is necessary to educate the locals aboutkey issues," said an official involved in the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Parkproject.
The project aims at installing 6 units of 1650 MW power capacityeach at the Madban village in Ratnagiri district in western Maharashtra. Thepower from the project will be available from 2016 onwards in stages.
