Say fishermen to CM, argue that Jaitapur plant will ruin aquatic life the way Tarapur atomic plant did; seek to form panel of scientists to argue their case
Say fishermen to CM, argue that Jaitapur plant will ruin aquatic life the way Tarapur atomic plant did; seek to form panel of scientists to argue their case
Taking issue over the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, a delegation of 15 fishermen from the disputed site arrived in the city on Tuesday to argue that the plant should be moved elsewhere, because it threatens to snatch their livelihood.
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A sketch of the proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant. CM Prithviraj Chavan
Just the way the atomic plant at Tarapur has vitiated its water bodies and killed its fish resource, Jaitapur would be sucked dry of its aquatic life, they said to the CM.
"We told the CM that our livelihood, dependent on fishing, would be ruined as water from the nuclear plant will kill the fish. We gave him the example of Tarapur, which has no fish left to catch," said Mukhtar Solkar, a fisherman who was part of the delegation.
"When the CM told us that people do not fish at Tarapur anyway, we pointed out that it was because of the toxic waste from the plant that no one can go fishing there, something we do not want to happen in Konkan," Solkar said.
'Will form panel'
The two-hour meeting at Sahyadri, which concluded at 10 pm, however, went the way its antecedents had - without consensus.
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Undeterred by the CM's refusal to move the plant, the fishermen, after returning to the coast, have now decided to form a panel of senior scientists who will study the plant's pros and cons andu00a0 argue on their behalf the merits of moving the plant.
"We are now forming a panel scientists who would do thorough research on how nuclear plants across the world have affected marine life. We have also contacted the Oceanography department in Goa to help us with the research.
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The California Power Plant research is also on. We will compile the minutest detail to make our case strong," said Solkar.
"Once our report is ready, we would discuss and debate the findings with the scientists who support the plant," said Amjad Borkar, an activist from Jaitapur. "Discussions with no biases should be conducted."
Reportedly, the fishermen dismissed the CM's suggestion that they should visit power plants across the world to see for themselves how risk-free they were. "What happened in Japan was enough for us to understand the affects of nuclear power plants," a delegate said, refusing to be identified.
'Apolitical'
Responding to the government's apprehension that the fishermen were politically motivated in opposing the project, they said to the CM that they were not under pressure from any party or ideology.
"We told the CM that we came to him on our own, without any political compulsion or backing," said Solkar. "We want the CM to think on the issue objectively."
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