No n-waste at Kolar: NPCIL

Allaying apprehensions of people in Karnataka that the nuclear waste from the Kundankulum nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu would be dumped in the abandoned Kolar gold mines thus putting them at grave risk, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on Tuesday said only a proposal to this effect is under consideration as no decision has been taken so far.
In a detailed additional affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the NPCIL said dumping of the nuclear waste is a socio-political issue.

It said the need for Designed Geographical Repository (DGR) would arise only after a few decades. The research and development operations are on. Keeping in view the international level, the initial focus in 80s mainly centred on generic underground research laboratory (URL) in Kolar, Karnatak.

The affidavit filed in response to the court’s concern for the safety of human beings and environment, Ashok Chauhan, executive director of NPCIL, said the spent nuclear waste from the power plant is reusable. “In fact most of the spent fuel i.e. 97 % is capable of being reused’’.