nuclear-news

Resistance growing to Jaitapur nuclear plan in seismic area

Former nuclear safety regulator Dr A. Gopalkrishnan revealed that he had been told in 1995 by American nuclear authorities that India would be well advised to close the reactors.

Fears rise in India of Fukushima-style nuclear disaster, By Julian O’Halloran, BBC News, 27 April 2011 Jaitapur, India  A leading campaigner against a massive nuclear power plant in India has pledged that villagers are ready to sacrifice their lives in order to prevent a repeat of Japan’s nuclear disaster.

Praveen Gavhankar, a farmer and fruit transporter, said he and thousands of villagers in western Maharashtra, had become totally frustrated over the government’s determination to allow the construction of six large reactors at Jaitapur, in an active earthquake zone.

“And so,” said Mr Gavhankar, “the people have decided that, rather than letting a Fukushima happen in Jaitapur fifteen years later, it’s better to die today and stop the plant.”……

The BBC has been told by a leading expert on the geology of Maharashtra that the planned nuclear site falls into an area of higher risk – Zone 4.

Retired university professor, Dr M.K. Prabhu, is dismayed at the plan to site six nuclear reactors at the Jaitapur site.

“I am not in favour of that one at all,” says Dr Prabhu. “As far as geology is concerned it is not in a stable area.”

He also believes the seismic risk could be growing.

“Evidence shows…even higher magnitude earthquake can happen in this area,” says Dr Prabhu……

Nuclear risk

The line taken by the geologist is supported by a former safety regulator for the nuclear power industry in India.

S K MalhotraHead of Public Awareness, Department of Atomic Energy

Dr A Gopalkrishnan, who chaired the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board in the mid 1990s, says that for the sake of public protection, experts who judge the nuclear site to be in the more risky Zone 4 should be given the benefit of the doubt…..

Close reactors

Former nuclear safety regulator Dr A. Gopalkrishnan revealed that he had been told in 1995 by American nuclear authorities that India would be well advised to close the reactors.

“Even in 1995,” says Dr Gopalkrishnan, ” I have been advised by…the US Dept of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission it’ll be safer to shut down the Tarapur 1 and 2 reactors.”

“And I have conveyed this message back to the government of India but the government decided to ignore that at that time.”….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13205060

April 28, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, safety