Nuclear Energy in India faces More Local Opposition (NIMBY) as Kovvada join Jaitapur Plant

India’s ambitious nuclear energy plan to add around 2G of Nuclear Plant Capacity is running into more and more hurdles each day.Nuclear Energy in India got a boost when India and USA signed a 123 agreeement which removed India’s pariah position in the International Nuclear Community allowing transfer of nuclear equipment and material.However the Japanese Nuclear Disaster has thrown a spanner into the works.The Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant in Maharashtra was already seeing huge protests from local villages and political parties.The news of the Nuclear Radiation from the Fukushima plant has added fuel to the Nuclear Fire it seems.Note only have the Jaitapur protests become more stringent but another planned plant in Kovvadu village in the south eastern state of Andhra Pradesh has run into trouble.Villagers from all 150 villages  took out a rally  demanding withdrawal of the proposed nuclear power plant in the wake of ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.I had earlier written that the Biggest Fallout Effect of the Japanese Nuclear Accident would be the Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) opposition of all existing and proposed Nuclear Energy Reactors globally and this is exactly what is happening.

Note similar protests are being seen worldwide in Germany,Switzerland and other places.Germany has already changed its nuclear policy shutting down 7 Plants and promising to shutter nuclear power entirely at an accelerated pace.India desperately needs power and all sources of energy are being looked upon to augment the electricity capacity.However most of the power sources add to the pollution and global warming.Nuclear power was seen as as alternative however its fat tail risks make it bad candidate as well.Also it is unlikely to provide more than 5% of India’s capacity even by 2020 with the current target.Time to look at other alternative sources of energy which are safer and cleaner like Wind and Solar Energy.

Srikakulam villagers protest against nuclear power plant

Expressing concern over safety aspects, the villagers of Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district have opposed setting up of a nuclear power plant at Kuvvada village district.Villagers have expressed grave concern over the nuclear power plant stating that it would cause damage to environment and affect the livelihood of people including the fishermen, Kumar said.He said it would be very difficult for India to handle nuclear emergency as a developed country like Japan too is struggling to overcome the nuclear crisis after it was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami.Mandal Revenue Officer Visweswara Rao said he received a memorandum from the villagers opposed to the Nuclear plant cleared by the Union Government and would forward it to Srikakulam district collector for necessary action.