Anti-nuke activists step up Jaitapur protest

The activists had gathered here to observe the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and to deliberate ways to persuade the government to halt the proposed nuclear project in Jaitapur in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

Terming the project as “too secretive,too centralised,too expensive and too dangerous,” the activists alleged there were a lot of “loopholes” in the project which the government was “deliberately ignoring.”

“There are a lot of problems the government is deliberately ignoring. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Department of Atomic Energy are seen as holy cows and considered sacrosanct. They lack transparency.

“What we need now is an independent AERB comprising people drawn from various spheres,” said Achin Vanaik,a Professor of Delhi University.

“It is important to note that nuclear-related accidents over the past few years have increased. But our government has chosen to ignore all these incidents and put the people’s lives at risk,” said Vanaik.

The government,along with the DAE,is acting as “agents” and “lobbyists” for the global nuclear supplier group,he charged.

The activists claimed the clearance from the Environment Ministry was given without “proper deliberation” and based on “shoddy environmental reports”.

“The project was approved by Jairam Ramesh six days ahead of (French President Nicholas) Sarkozy’s arrival based on shoddy environment reports. Ramesh himself admitted that he gave the approval for ‘economic,strategic and political’ reasons. Is that his job or is saving the environment his responsibility?” asked Kamal Mitra Chenoy,a professor of JNU.

The activists also decried the use of “repression” and “undemocratic practices” to “silence” protests against the proposed project.

Activists,who undertook a three-day protest march against the proposed project from Tarapur in Thane district,had to end it in Mahad on Monday before they could reach the project site after being denied permission by the district administration.

“The killing of a fisherman during the protests is not altogether surprising. Repressive and undemocratic practices in the area have taken place even before the nuclear controversy. Why is the government so reluctant to listen to us?” said Rohan D’souza,a Professor of JNU.

“The lesson we need to learn from Chernobyl is that it could have happened at any of the 437 nuclear facilities in the world. The Jaitapur project is not only a hazard to humans but it signals the destruction of an area which is rich in biodiversity,” he added.