Anil Kakodkar promotes nuclear energy, skips Jaitapur issue

Taking lessons from the cancellation of his programme in Ratnagiri, eminent nuclear scientist and a strong supporter of the proposed 9,900 MW Jaitapur nuclear power plant, Anil Kakodkar avoided speaking about the Jaitapur plant in his lecture on ‘Preparing for our secure energy future’ on Monday at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI).

However, throughout his talk, Kakodkar endorsed nuclear energy as a safe source of energy and thereby, vented his support for the Jaitapur plant in Ratnagiri district in an indirect manner.

“There is this avoidable trauma about nuclear energy and nuclear plants. But study shows that the risks with nuclear energy are the least. Where the energy source death rate per tera watt hours from sources like natural gas and oil are 4 and 36 respectively, the death rate with nuclear energy is only 0.04,’’ Kakodkar said.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena activists who were ready to stage a protest at the ARI gate, silently left the campus without disrupting the lecture, as they were told that Kakodkar won’t be discussing the Jaitapur issue in his talk. President of Parvati Matdar Sangh Huzur Inamdar who led the Shiv Sena activists told DNA that he got a letter from ARI authorities which stated that Kakodkar won’t speak on Jaitapur. “We received a letter from the ARI stating that Kakodkar won’t be talking about the Jaitapur plant and the lecture is on a technical topic of secure energy future. Hence, we did not disrupt the programme,’’ Inamdar said.

Inamdar further added that the party will stage protest in the future, if Kakodkar discusses the Jaitapur plant in his lectures anywhere. “The nuclear plant in Jaitapur will affect the livelihood of farmers and  fisherman in Ratnagiri. We cannot make the locals suffer due to the plant. Hence, Shiv Sena will stage protests against it Kakodkar endorses it in his lectures,’’ Inamdar said

ARI director DR Ranade, however, denied giving any letter to the Shiv Sena. “I had discussed the protest against Jaitapur plant with Kakodkar, and he assured that his presentation does not discuss the sensitive issue. This is a science lecture and not a political affair,’’ Ranade told DNA.

When asked why he avoided speaking about the Jaitapur plant in his lecture, Kakodkar said, “This is a scientific lecture and hence, I did not  speak about political matters. My lecture only promotes nuclear energy as an efficient source of energy,’’ he said.

Explaining the advantages of nuclear energy, Kakodkar further added, “The radiation risk to public is insignificantly small from nuclear energy. There is no harm from nuclear reactors,’’ he said.