Japan disaster adds steam to Jaitpur n-plant protests

Following the nuclear disaster at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after it was struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami on Friday, activists opposing the Jaitapur nuclear power project (JNPP) in Ratnagiri have reiterated their demand to scrap the project. 

Addressing a press conference in Pune, retired Supreme Court judge P B Sawant said the activists have been opposing the Jaitapur project since long as the site falls in a seismic zone. 

''The explosions at unit 1 and 3 of Japan's nuclear plant, which also led to the evacuation of over two lakh people from surrounding areas, corroborate our demand to scrap the project in Ratnagiri,'' he asserted. 

Criticising the state government for arresting more than 3,000 social activists and local residents for opposing the project, Sawant said, ''Instead of answering our queries on the nuclear project, the state government is indulging in tyranny and unleashing terror on its own people.'' 

Reacting sharply to television grabs of MLAs taking a nap when former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Anil Kakodkar was addressing them on the Jaitapur nuclear project, Sawant said, ''We appealed to all the stakeholders, including the government and the nuclear authorities, to answer our queries on the platform of People's Commission, but the government is trying to suppress our voice against the project.''