Hundreds of villagers on Friday staged a silent protest against the Jaitapur nuclear power project in Ratnagiri district and courted arrest at Madban near the project site.
According to local activists, nearly 3,000 people staged protests and were picked up by police.
The police also prevented activists from entering the project area, with Admiral (retired) L. Ramdas and Justice (retired) P.B. Samant being prevented from going to Madban.
The police took the arrested villagers to a school compound near Hativali and are likely to release them later.
While announcing fresh compensation for those displaced by the Jaitapur project, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane recently said that the local people were not against the project and that outsiders were instigating them.
On Thursday, a 14-member expert appraisal committee for nuclear projects visited Madban. The committee, which was under heavy police escort, did not meet any of the local villagers.
Keywords: Jaitapur nuclear power project
Comments:
What would we think if our ancestors had used nuclear power and left to us their radioactive waste to guard for one million years? Wouldn't we regard them as ruthless and extremely selfish? For several years of electricity and personal profit we are putting an uncalculable burden on thousands of coming generations - how anti-social could one be??
With Coal supplies running out - Nuclear plants are the only way to go. Other renewable energy generation like Wind and Power cannot be built at a scale large enough to support Mega Power plants that are needed to FIRST narrow the supply-demand gap and then exceed it. In 50 years - when coal becomes scarce- these very people who are protesting against will find themselves in darkness - and THEN criticize govt for not doing enough!! Nuclear plants have their flaws- but so does everything else! Build these plants and for once - give India the surplus electricity that has been denied since Independence!!Now and for the future!
I am native of Sagwe in Sindadurg district about 30 kilometer from Jaitapur approximate. My village is full of mango trees and also people do fishing for living. I do not understand why government is trying to displace people from their home and resettle them else where. Why not shift the the project to say about 100 kilometer further down where there are no villages (or) in forest land after making neccessary changes in law make. Whole new town or city and give new opportunities to the people of the region. There is abundant scope for solar project which is renewable and clean energy.