nuclear-news

Protest movement against nuclear power grows amongst rural Indians

“We have been holding a sit-in protest outside the Fatehabad mini-secretariat. We now plan to join hands with protesters fighting against the setting up of a nuclear plant in Jaitapur and those protesting in Koodankulam.”

Farmers are incensed that three elderly protesting farmers have already lost their lives in this agitation which has now completed over 580 days.

Protest against Haryana nuke plant intensifies http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/north/protest-against-haryana-nuke-plant-intensifies-152
April 3, 2012 By Rashme Sehgal  Farmers in Haryana have stepped up their campaign against the setting up of the Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant in the Fatehabad district of the state.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has earmarked over 628 hectares of land to set up a 2,800-MW power plant which will use pressurised heavy water reactors at a cost of `13,000 crores. The villages earmarked for site selection include Gorakhpur, Kumaharia and Kajalhedi.
Parmanu Urja Virodhi Morcha president Rajendar Sharma warned, “We have
been holding a sit-in protest outside the Fatehabad mini-secretariat.
We now plan to join hands with protesters fighting against the setting
up of a nuclear plant in Jaitapur and those protesting in
Koodankulam.”
Farmers are incensed that three elderly protesting farmers have already lost their lives in this agitation which has now completed over 580 days.
What has upset the farmers is that the land being acquired is
irrigated, multi-crop land whereas the new government provisions
dictate that irrigated, multi-crop land should comprise only five per
cent of the acquisition.
Activist Dr Vandana Shiva said, “Two elderly farmers lost their lives
because they were part of the sit-in during the winter months. But the
third farmer, Ishwar Singh, who was 62 years of age died last week. He
was part of the protest and despite being rushed to the Rohtak Medical
Care Centre did not survive.”
Mr Sharma, along with other farmers, are demanding that the NPCIL move
the project to some less fertile part of Haryana. The farmers have
also filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana high court following which
notices were issued to the Department of Atomic Energy, ministry of
environment and forests and the NPCIL with several farmers insisting
they will not allow measurement of their land to take place by any
governmental agency.
NPCIL officials are keen to initiate a dialogue with the agitating
farmers in order that their protest does not acquire greater momentum.

April 6, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, opposition to nuclear