Visakhapatnam, India - Srikakulam villagers protest against nuclear power plant

deccanherald

19/03/2011 - Expressing concern over safety aspects, the villagers of Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district have opposed setting up of a nuclear power plant at Kuvvada village district.
Villagers from all 150 villages comprising 30 panchayts under 'Anu Vyatireka Porata Samithi' yesterday took out a rally in Ranasthalam and submitted a memorandum to the Mandal Revenue Officer demanding withdrawal of the proposed nuclear power plant in the wake of ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.
A representative of the Samithi G. Kiran Kumar told PTI today that the villagers have proposed to constitute a full-fledged committee to lead an agitation against the nuke power plant proposed in 1992 by the Nuclear Power Corporation India Ltd (NPCIL) at Kovvada for which 2000 acres of land had been identified, though the process of acquisition has yet to be started.
Villagers have expressed grave concern over the nuclear power plant stating that it would cause damage to environment and affect the livelihood of people including the fishermen, Kumar said.
He said it would be very difficult for India to handle nuclear emergency as a developed country like Japan too is struggling to overcome the nuclear crisis after it was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami. Mandal Revenue Officer Visweswara Rao said he received a memorandum from the villagers opposed to the Nuclear plant cleared by the Union Government and would forward it to Srikakulam district collector for necessary action.
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Suggesting that hurdles in the path were being overcome, NPCIL today [Jan 24 2011]said work on two French-built nuclear power plants is likely to begin at Jaitapur in Maharashtra next year.
"The commencement of work of the first two units is planned for the year 2012," Sudhinder Thakur, Distinguished Scientist & Fellow of NPCIL, said in a statement.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), in collaboration with French company Areva, plans to build six nuclear power plants of 1,650 MW each at Jaitapur.