Jaitapur plant debate goes ballistic

Declaring his party’s solidarity with the people of Konkan, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said if they do not want the atomic power project in Jaitapur, then his party will not let it happen.

Uddhav’s statement came in front of eminent nuclear scientists of the country, Dr Anil Kakodkar and Dr Srikumar Banerjee, at an event held in Swantantryavir Sawarkar Hall at Dadar, where a debate on the proposed 9900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) was organised for the first time. Speakers from both anti and pro camps of the project presented their view.

Thackeray, however mentioned that, his disagreement is not with scientists of the country. ‘’But it is the government against whom we are fighting,’’ he said, adding that, the question of who will face the liability should the project go wrong needs to be answered first.

A debate ‘Jaitapur project - Why yes? Why no?’, which was originally aimed at aiding an exchange between opposing parties, took an ugly turn when Jaitapur and Tarapur residents shouted slogans against the scientists present.

Apart from Kakodkar and Banerjee, Shashikant Dharane of NPCIL and Dr. Rajan Badwe of Tata Memorial Centre were present to speak in support of project. While Dr Vivek Monteiro of Konkan Bachao Samiti, nuclear scientist Dr Surendra Gadekar were there to speak against the project. Also, Jitendra Raul from Tarapur Vikas Samiti was representing the people of Tarapur. Former justice of Delhi high court, AP Shah, who also worked for the peoples’ tribunal set up for the JNPP presided over the debate.

Monteiro questioned the validity of environment impact assessment report prepared for the the JNPP, alleging that it lacked scientific approach.

Neither Banerjee nor Kakodkar attempted answering the question.