Green nod for nuclear project

press trust of india
Mumbai, 28 Nov: The 9,900 mw Jaitapur nuclear power project to be set up in collaboration with a French firm in Maharashtra today received clearance from environment ministry which prescribed 35 conditions and safeguards.
Environment minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said he considered various issues like economic growth, diversification of fuel mix for power generation and environment protection before giving nod to the proposed project on Konkan coast, which had faced opposition from locals and green groups.
The clearance for the project, to be jointly developed by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) and French giant Areva, came in 80 days from the day NPC submitted the environment impact assessment report, Mr Ramesh said.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry had already recommended a conditional environmental clearance to the project which involves setting up of six units of 1,650 mw each and is the outcome of India's civil nuclear agreement with France.
An agreement between Areva and NPC is expected to be signed during French President Mr Nicholas Sarkozy's India visit next month.
The project would help energy deficient states like Maharashtra which face compulsory power cuts and NPC expects the first unit of the project to be commissioned by 2017-18.
The project had benn opposed by groups like the Konkan Bachao Samiti which expressed concern about the radiological safety of the nuclear plant and its impact on the environment.
They also pointed “faults” in the environmental impact assessment report prepared by the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) alleging that it is based on generic and incomplete inputs on radioactive threats.
Many villagers have also opposed acquisition of their land for the project.
“It was a difficult decision...It is a balancing act. I do not expect all environmentalists to be happy with this decision,” Mr Ramesh said, adding that full transparency has been followed in decision making. The minister rejected the allegation his decisions were “stalling development”, saying 95 per cent of the projects which come to his ministry get environmental clearance and 85 per cent get the forest nod.
“I am a reasonable man,” he said.
Voicing concern over a slew of power, mining and port projects coming up in the ecologically sensitive Konkan region, Mr Ramesh said there is a need to look at the carrying capacity of the coastal Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, adding a cumulative impact assessment should be done.
Ramesh rubbishes charge of being anti-Maharashtra
MUMBAI, 28 NOV: Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh today rubbished criticism about him being “anti-Maharashtra” and against development. Talking to reporters here after giving a green signal to the Jaitapur Nuclear power plant, Mr Ramesh said he was for sustainable development.
“The Navi Mumbai airport clearance took 115 days from the time CIDCO submitted its assessment report. We had to do some hard negotiations with CIDCO. As per laws, my ministry has to clear any environmental clearance proposal in 105 days,” he said. According to the minister, 95 per cent of the projects which come to his ministry get environmental clearance while 85 per cent get forest clearance. “Forest clearance takes time because we have to tread with lot of caution,” he said.
“The only forest cover in Maharashtra is in this region and then in the eastern Vidarbha belt. We have to strike a balance when power projects have to be sanctioned here,” he added. pti

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