Scrap Jaitapur nuclear power project, locals tells Maha CM

Manisha Rege

Jaitapur, Feb 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief MinisterPrithviraj Chavan, who visited the proposed Jaitapur nuclearproject site here, today witnessed stiff resistance from thelocal people who are opposing the 9,900 mw power plant.

Chavan was greeted by slogan-shouting women fromSakhrinate village during his interaction with people. Thelocal outfits like Janhit Seva Samitee from Madban village andthe fishermen from Sakrinate village asked the Chief Ministerto scrap the project.

Praveen Gawankar of Janhit Seva Samitee said, "936hectares of land has been acquired through undemocratic meansand through police atrocities. The Chief Minister shouldre-examine how the land acquisition process was conducted."

He also said that Nuclear Power Corporation of IndiaLimited (NPCIL) was not stating the truth by saying thateven pregnant women can work at the plant, because atTarapur, where the first nuclear project came up in 1960,there was a board barring pregnant women from entering. Therewas also risk of contracting cancer, he added.

"The locals are not opposing the project for morecompensation... let us live in peace and scrap the project.

Also return our lands," he said.

Another villager, Amjad Borkar from Sakrinate, saidmarine life would be endangered and livelihood of fishermencommunity here would be destroyed due to the project.

"Maharashtra has a poor record on rehabilitation and thegovernment has not addressed concerns of farmers as to whetherthe project would harm crops of cashew, Alphonso mango; andfishing," Borkar said. .