Wary of being nuked electorally, govt begs off from Haripur n-plant site inspection for now

The state government has advised the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited officials to wait till the Assembly elections are over in Bengal for carrying out any inspection of the Haripur site as the locals are opposed to the project. "We have been advised by our nodal agency - West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) to avoid visiting the site till the elections are over," said S K Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of NCPIL.

A meeting was held today to discuss the power situation in Bengal. Jain said that since they have no office in the state, the WBPDCL has told them that going to the site and holding interactions with locals can have political ramifications. The Department of Atomic energy has earmarked 650 hectares of land at Haripur in East Midnapore district, where the projected generation capacity is 10,000 MW. However, a section of the residents at Haripur are opposing the plant - backed by Opposition leaders - saying it will bring livelihood problems and raise environmental concerns.

Stressing that the Nuclear power plant will come up at Haripur only if people want it, Jain said: "Our policy is hundred per cent consent (of the residents). Whether it is land acquisition policy or any other issue, everything will be discussed." Meanwhile, even as the scientists were upbeat on setting up the nuclear power plant, representatives of Haripur Parmanu Vidyut Pratirodh Commitee demonstrated outside the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics — where the meeting was held.

Source: Yahoo News