West Bengal government rules out Haripur nuclear project

The West Bengal government has ruled out the nuclear power plant at Haripur in the State's Purba Medinipur district.

Replying to questions in the Assembly here on Wednesday, State Power Minister Manish Gupta said the government had decided to scrap the proposal. The government had no plans for the present to set up nuclear plants elsewhere in the State.

Mr. Gupta's announcement comes as no surprise as the ruling Trinamool Congress has been opposed to the proposed project even when it was in the Opposition.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been maintaining that Haripur is not the proper place for a nuclear power plant as it was a densely populated area and fishermen in the region would be affected.

When in the Opposition, Ms. Banerjee had vowed that her party would scrap the project if it came to power.

The Trinamool Congress had led an agitation in the recent past against the move to set up the proposed plant there when the previous Left Front government was in power. It had the support of a section of the local farmers and fishermen who joined in protests against the proposed project fearing eviction and loss of livelihood.

The proposed project is part of an India-Russia agreement for cooperation in the nuclear energy sector.