Now comic to demystify nuclear issues among villagers

Mumbai, May 22 (PTI) At a time when activists and
locals are stridently opposing the proposed atomic power
project in Indias western state Maharashtra's Jaitapur, the
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has adopted an
innovative strategy to allay fears of villagers about atomic
energy.
The government-run nuclear plant operator has come out
with a colourful pictorial comic that dwells on the benefits
of atomic power and dispels misconceptions.
Titled 'Ek Tha Budhiya: Kahani Ek Khushal Gaon Ki'
(The story of a prosperous village), the comic tells the story
of Jagdishpur, a village that had been underdeveloped due to
ignorance and superstition, but gets transformed for good, all
thanks to a nuclear power plant.
The conversations are written in simple Hindi. NPCIL
will distribute the comic (in Marathi) to the people in
Jaitapur, Ratnagiri district and also those in Madhya Pradesh
and Haryana (Hindi) where new nuclear power projects have been
proposed.
The move is part of the company's public awareness
programme with regard to nuclear power, said Ranjit Kakde,
General Manager (Corporate Communications), NPCIL.
Since the comic book is written in simple language and
has pictorial expressions, it will be distributed among local
people as well as in schools, he said.
All issues of nuclear energy, like its importance,
radiation, impact on health and compensation for
project-affected people are dealt with in the booklet, Kakde
said.
The story starts with Budhiya and other residents of
Jagdishpur approaching the village head and expressing concern
over an upcoming nuclear power plant.
The village head assures them that there was nothing
to be afraid of. His grandson Samir takes the lead in
convincing the villagers.
He dispels misconceptions about adverse effects of
nuclear plant on the health of people, farms and marine life
and lists benefits of clean energy and the need to boost
electricity generation for faster economic development.
Samir also cautions the villagers not to get brain
washed by those who try to propagate wrong information about
nuclear power.
Kakde said they have already dispatched comic booklets
in Marathi for people of Jaitapur.