Thaindian News

Mumbai, March 21 (IANS) Making a strong plea on the need for nuclear power, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Monday said the coastal site in Ratnagiri where the controversial 9,900-MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project was coming up was “absolutely safe” and would incorporate all required safety and security features.

Admitting that the recent incidents in Japan following an earthquake and Tsunami were a matter of global concern, Chavan said that the state needed a judicial combination of thermal, hydel, solar, wind, nuclear and other sources of power to meet the energy demands of the future.

“Not a single person shall be displaced by the project. Please do not politicize the issue just for the sake of opposing it,” Chavan told legislators while replying to the motion of thanks on the address by Governor K. Sankaranarayanan to the legislature last week.

Chavan pointed out that presently, the country is using coal and other fuel to generate power, but three or four decades later, the scenario would change when the natural fuels deplete.

“Besides, today we are facing issues like global warming and climate change,” Chavan said urging for support to JNPP which is strongly opposed by the opposition parties, several non-governmental organizations and locals.

“Nuclear power is green energy and this is an ambitious programme being undertaken through international co-operation. I have visited the project site and met the people, but there are certain misconceptions over the project. There are certain misconceptions,” Chavan said, reiterating that nobody engaged in fishing or farming activities would be affected in any manner.

Till date, the JNPP has been allotted 938 hectares of land of which only 7.27 percent is agricultural land, while the rest is barren or used for grazing purposes, he said, adding that a proper compensation package for the project affected persons is being implemented.