Only nuclear power can meet India’s energy needs, says former AEC chairman Anil Kakodkar
It is misleading to compare the proposed nuclear power plant at Kudankulam with the Fukushima plant in Japan where a nuclear accident took place last year, said former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, on Saturday.
“The Fukushima plant was destroyed by a powerful tsunami. Such a tsunami will not hit India because our country is not sitting over an active fault line. This has been confirmed by seismological reports,” the former AEC chief said.
He agreed with the central government’s claim that some foreign forces were behind the people opposing the proposed nuclear power plant at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. He said that only nuclear power can meet India’s energy needs.
“Those who are against India’s growth are behind the opposition to the Kudankulam project. These forces are misleading the people. The project is among the most advanced ones of its kind and all concerns about the environment and safety were kept in mind while designing it,” Kakodkar said.
Talking about fears that the Kudankulam plant could also be hit by a disaster similar to that which destroyed the Fukushima plant, he said that such fears were baseless.
“Nineteen thousand people lost their lives due to the tsunami in Japan but there was not a single death due to radiation from the damaged Fukushima plant. Nobody highlights this and only a terrible scenario is presented before the people,” Kakodkar said.
The former AEC chairman claimed that nuclear energy can meet most of the future energy requirements of India. While coal and other fossil fuels available are limited, atomic power plants can ensure clean and affordable energy for a long time, he said.
“If India wants to grow faster, it will need 8 trillion units of power. Phase-wise planning is required to generate such a huge amount of electricity. The future belongs to atomic power plants as they can guarantee non-stop power,” Kakodkar said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}