Jaitapur nuclear plant seeks to be included as Ecologically Sensitive Areas

The six villages around the site of the proposed 9,900MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant (JNPP) have asked to be included in the list of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs). If this demand is accepted, the fate of JNPP could very well be under threat.

The gramsabhas of Madban, Mithgavhane, Sakhar, Padave, Anasure and Juve-Jaitapur have passed a resolution with this demand which was submitted to the Madhav Gadgil committee in August this year, set up by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). Gadgil, who is chairman, Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), has already submitted a final report, along with recommendations, to the MoEF. However, the report is yet to be made public for undisclosed reasons.

When contacted about the status of the report, Gadgil refused to comment until it is made public by the government. Pravin Gavhankar of Janhit Seva Samiti has demanded that the report be made public. “We are looking forward to it. Let’s hope our demands get proper attention through this report,” he said. 

ESAs are areas that are ecologically and economically important, but vulnerable even to mild disturbances and hence demand careful management. ESAs are to be viewed as areas where human activities will continue, but be prudently regulated under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

This means that if the demand is endorsed by the Gadgil committee report, the controversial project which has already come under heavy criticism, will face an additional hurdle.