The Centre on Monday blamed foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for aiding protests against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and reiterated that the government was committed to producing “clean and cheap” nuclear energy in the country.
“Foreign NGOs are supporting the movement…some [foreign] NGOs are interested in it [protests]. I am aware of these NGOs, but I am not going to name those countries [to which these NGOs belong],” Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told journalists here.
Pushing the case for nuclear energy, Mr. Shinde said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made it clear that India needed nuclear energy, which was clean and a cheap source of energy. “Initially, the costs are high [for setting up the nuclear power plant]…but in 4-5 years it becomes a cheap source of energy. The cost of nuclear power is very low…we must have such energy,” he said.
Following protests against the project earlier this year, the government blamed some U.S.-based NGOs for trying to sabotage the plant.
Keywords: Kudankulam nuclear project, anti-Kudankulam protest, nuclear safety, anti-KKNPP protests, Sushil Kumar Shinde, NGOs, Foreign funds
When will India get proper educated politicians who will stop blaming foreigners and take the blame ourselves and repair the whole country. Right now the country is falling to pieces. everyone Ive met wants to leave and never return - claiming that politicians are rampantly corrupt, police are openly corrupt, there is no justice, railway stations and trains smell. Not a single indian living in Australia ever wants to return and their children refuse to even come on a holiday - the reason, they hold their nose and say india smells.
So stop this stupid blame game and start fiing the country
The sweeping statement by Mr. Shinde that the nuclear power is cheap is highly irresponsible and far from the truth. If we take the life cycle of a nuclear plant right from the mining stage of the uranium fuel to the stage of disposal and storage of the spent fuel, combined with the deadly kinds of risks involved, the nuclear power works out to be the costliest of all, so to say. The facts presented in this regard by a former German lawmaker, and an anti nuclear and pro renewable energy protagonist, Dr. Hermann Scheer (died 2010 at the age of 66), in his book titled "The Solar Economy", are so true, strong and convincing that one cannot remain pro nuclear energy at all after reading the book. It will be advisable, those concerned in the matter, read this book.
mr.Shinde,it is not the first time ministers are saying it,whenever
people protest that foreign hand hand is involved,do you admit that you
are unable to stop it?is not a fact you are unfit to be a minister?
do not repeat again?
Congress and its Ministers always see a "foreign hand" in anything that goes against its policys'. They are forgetting the Congress itself is run by a foreign hand !!
The anti nuclear protests make lots of sense .
"The cost of nuclear power is very low…" provided the system is 100% safety.
Please stop seeing "foreign hand" in people's movements. The protesters of Kudankulam nuclear power plant are honest in expressing thier fears. The government is duty bound to adress their concerns. They are definitly better than the corrupt politicians and burocrats who ruin the nation. Mr. Shinde, please stop slandering the people who express their dissent in a peaceful way.
The protests against kudankulam nuclear plant will be wrong, because the
cheap energy source is very important for fulfill our energy
requirements. and it will obey all safety measures, and the government
and related peoples will sure about this then what is the need for
protest against this. i think may some people behind from the actual
protesting people playing for something or somebody.
Whether the protesters are getting help from abroad or not is not the question that bothers a
large section of our people. The main worry is that our nuclear power plants may not be safe,
especially to those living in the region where the plant is situated. Accidents involving fire and
loss of lives frequently happen in the country and authorities seem to be unconcerned about
it. Can the people therefore trust the authorities in the matter of safety around nuclear power
plants?
Dear Minister,
When the government organization gets foreign made nuclear plant, what is wrong
in getting funded by foreign Non-government Organisations?
This is also part of globalization and foreign investment.
Amazing accusation. These very same people are getting BIG HUGS from foreign
investors for dumping unwanted everywhere, technology on our shores are now
actually castigating foreigners who are trying to protect us from this deadly dangerous
form of power generation and if they are funding the protests they are bringing in
FUNDS as opposed to the buddies of the Government who are not only SIPHONING our
FUNDS, for their now jobless scientists and their research and installation of the latest
solar and free fuel projects while they put us down in the dark ages of dangerous and
expensive and economically debilitating nuclear power. Has MMS gone SENILE? How
can a country progress or keep up with the West if they have FREE FUELS powering
their industries and we are paying a WHOPPING 2200 crores plus for just one load of
uranium??? Not forgetting the crores for Russian scientists and security ect. And
putting our defense cadre in danger with a deadly nuclear plant in the hands of
Russians!!!
Now one disagrees, even the protesters, on the need for nuclear
energy. The only difference between the then Bhopal and now is that
people are no more willing to blindly believe the assurance of safety
of the reactors. Bhopal victims are yet to get their damages and with
squashing of charges by the US court are now without hope. Our Nuclear
123 agreements forbids the supplier of the material responsible in
case of any accidents. Unfortunately, our GoI has an excellent track
record of not providing damages in a timely and sensible manner. Then
comes the problem of bribe (which is now collected as a percent of the
damages...). So what other alternatives do people have than to fight
before things go out of hand... I sincerely urge those in Power to try
to identify and alleviate the real push for the people to protest
instead of blaming some phantoms organisations. Such orgs. even if
they are true would've only exploited the anger that was already
there!!!
Nuclear power plants are harmful for India.
It would take several dozen power plants to generate even 20% in India's electricity.
India can't afford even one plant blowing up because it will make an area of several
lakh square kilometers radioactive for many centuries - we dont have that much land
to waste.
We should rely on solar and wind energy of which we have more than enough to
satisfy all our needs several times over.
I wish Mr Shinde would come to Koodankulam and see how villagers make
regular weekly contributions , equivalent to 10% of their earnings to
sustain the movement. Which is why they come in large numbers for this
cause. Nobody has prompted them to do this. The woman who earns about Rs
300 a week also contributes 10% of her earnings. And they have
maintained clear accounts of the money collected in such a fashion. All
these myths of foreign funding will not stand any ground.
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