Indian Activists Protest Against French Nuclear Plant

New Delhi, Feb 16, IRNA -- President Francois Hollandeˈs visit to India Thursday saw a protest against French-assisted Jaitapur nuclear power plant by activists who alleged that proper safety measures had not been adopted in the project to prevent a Fukushima like disaster. French President Hollande is on a two-day state visit to the country. Activists and students from All India Progressive Womens Association (AIPWA) and All India Studentˈs Association (AISA) protested here against setting up of the nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra with the help of French firm Areva. ˈThe nuclear power plant is being built on the land that was earlier used to cultivate alphonso mangoes. The construction would take away the livelihood of the farmers in the area and would be an environmental hazard also. We donˈt want another Fukushima like disasterˈ said Kavita Krishnan, secretary of the AIPWA, pti reported. French President should also take a look at the deal the Indian government was signing with the French company without ensuring the safety of the reactor, which is a new technology and not used anywhere in the world, she claimed. The government must clarify on what safety measures have been adopted to prevent a disaster, since the European Pressurised Reactor is ˈuntestedˈ technology,ˈ said activist Harsh Kapoor of South Asian Citizens Web. The activists also protested against alleged efforts to ˈshieldˈ Pascal Mazurier, a French diplomat accused of raping his three-year-old daughter in Bangalore, under French pressure. ˈWe want to know why the French Government is trying to back the French diplomat who is accused of raping his daughter,ˈ said Krishnan. The protest comes a day after the Left leaders asked the government not to sign a deal on the supply of the nuclear reactor to the Jaitapur nuclear power plant. A series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns and release of radioactive materials occurred at the Japanˈs Fukushima nuclear power plant following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 leading to mass evacuation from the area. It was the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Meanwhile, Spurning Maharashtra governmentˈs offer of enhanced compensation for project-affected persons from Jaitapur and neighboring villages, the local organization spearheading the opposition to the proposed 9,900 mw nuclear power plant said it wanted the whole project to be scrapped. ˈOur struggle is for cancellation of the nuclear plant project.... We do not want increased monetary package,ˈ said Prakash Waghdhare, president of `Madban, Jaitapur, Mithgavane, Panchkroshi Sangharsh Samitiˈ, talking to reporters in Mumbai. He dubbed the power plant proposed to be set up at Jaitapur, in coastal Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, as ˈpoisonousˈ. In the face of stiff local opposition, Maharashtra government recently decided to give compensation of Rs 22.5 lakh per hectare to the project-affected people. However, Waghdhare today said the quantum of compensation was not the issue. ˈFarmers from Jaitapur and neighboring villages do not want the money. They donˈt want the project there. Entire Konkan is opposed to the project,ˈ he said. A rally to protest the project would be organized next month, he said. Alleging that government was misleading people by offering enhanced package, Satyajit Chavan of `Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samitiˈ said a section of the media was publishing reports in favor of the government. ˈWe never held a press conference demanding increase in financial package,ˈ he added. ˈWe want to save Konkan.ˈ/end