Kovvada Nuclear Plant a Threat to AP: US Prof

By Express News Service

Published: 25th February 2015 06:00 AM

Last Updated: 25th February 2015 06:00 AM

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VISAKHAPATNAM: Explaining the potential threat posed by a nuclear power plant located in a tsunami red zone, Vivek Montario, professor at California Institute of Technology cautioned that the outcome of an accident could be disastrous.

Participating in a conference organised by the CPI(M) at the party office in the city, he said that the six nuclear reactors proposed to be set up in Kovvada will generate around 300 tonnes of nuclear waste, of which three tonnes will be plutonium. Plutonium is hazardous to most forms of life and the environment. A leakage can pollute the environment to an extent of around 1,000 km radius and cause threat to future generations also, cautioned Vivek.

Citing the example of the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at Fukushima in Japan after it was hit by a tsunami five years ago, Vivek pointed out that Kovvada’s location is no different as it also somes under a tsunami red zone.

“The government destroyed thousands of acres of forests land and had built hundreds of water tanks, which were contaminated by nuclear wastes. Till now there has been no solution to the problem,” he pointed out.

He questioned the government’s decision to establish more nuclear power plants at a time when developed countries like France and Germany were shutting down theirs considering the threat they posed to humanity. Moreover, the reactors have to be bought from USA, which would cost anywhere around `45,000 crore, he noted. The project is a drain on the purse of the tax-payer and a threat to the stateof Andhra Pradesh, he added. CPM state executive member Ch Narsinga Rao also participated.