Activists have attacked the government and its nuclear agencies for not being transparent on issues related with nuclear technology.
Activists have attacked the government and its nuclear agencies for not being transparent on issues related with nuclear technology and the health hazards caused by the existing nuclear power plants.
The activists, from the Anti-Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) and several NGOs were speaking on the first day of People’s Tribunal organised at Jaitapur.
They also raised questions over the necessity of enormous funds being used to set up nuclear projects, at a time when projects to utilise renewable energy sources were being sidelined.
“A civilian nuke questionnaire mechanism does not exist in our country. So, we have to think twice before going ahead with the new nuclear projects,” said Dr. V Pugazhenthi, a local practitioner from the area around Kalpakam Atomic Power Station.
Pugazhenthi along with three other researchers have carried out a cross sectional epidemiological study in the local area of Madras Atomic Power Station.
Their report concluded that the higher prevalence of goitre and Autoimmune Thyroid Disorder (AITD) is due to radiation exposure from routine releases of radionuclides from nuclear power plants and plutonium reprocessing plants. The report has also recommended a detailed study of the communities within the local area of the plants.
Neeraj Jain from Lokayat, Pune alleged that the western nuclear reactor manufacturing industry has launched a massive funding effort and propaganda drive to usher in a ‘nuclear renaissance’.
“It includes bribing politicians and multi-billion dollar public relations campaign claiming that nuclear energy is answer to global warming,” he said. He mentioned that, appointing an independent safety regulatory body will increase the safety standards, but it does not mean there will be no accidents.
Other speakers included retired Admiral Ramdas and Soumya Dutta of Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, who stressed on the need to invest more on the renewable energy options such as solar and wind.
“The solar energy potential in large parts of western, southern, central and some parts of northern India is about 25-30MW per sq km. Even the planning commission in its Integrated Energy Policy document has estimated that the wind energy has a minimum potential of 45,000 MW, even with an incomplete wind mapping and based on limited range of useful wind speed,” said Dutta.
AP Shah, former chief justice of the Delhi HC and SD Pandit, former judge of the Bombay HC, who is heading the People’s Tribunal, refused to comment over the proceedings till the time report was submitted. The tribunal will continue till May 21, as the Project Affected People (PAP) will present their side on Friday. The government officials, in spite of being invited, did not participate in the tribunal on its first day.
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