Residents oppose nuclear plant at Kovvada

Updated: June 9, 2013 14:37 IST

Residents oppose nuclear plant at Kovvada

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UP IN ARMS: Relay hunger strike by Kovvada villagers against nuclear plant entered 172nd day on Saturday. Photo: Basheer

Officials unable to continue land acquisition for the project

Officials of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and the State government are unable to continue the land acquisition process in Kovvada and surrounding villages of Ranasthalam mandal, Srikakulam district, following strong resistance from locals against the construction of the nuclear power plant.

The government identified about 1,500 acres of land but it has not been alienated to NPCIL so far. In addition, it has to acquire 499 acres in Kovvada, Ramachandrapuram Tekkali and Kotapalem villages.

It set up a land acquisition unit in the AP NGOs Home in Srikakulam but could not begin as a majority of the villagers did not accept the ‘packages’ offered by the government.

With the support of all the opposition parties, the villagers have been continuing their relay hunger strike for the last six months.

The villagers are not convinced with the argument in favour of setting up a nuclear plant in their vicinity, though officials have been repeatedly telling them that it would be safe on the lines of the one in Kalpakkam.

CPI (M) leaders Bhaviri Krishnamurthy, V.G.K. Murthy, Panchadi Paparao and others extended their moral support to the villagers saying that Kovvada nuclear plant would be a threat to the environment. Meanwhile, the relay hunger strike entered the 172 day.

Co-ordinator of all Opposition parties, Kalisetty Appalanaidu, has also threatened to intensify the movement if officials resorted to land acquisition.

Former panchayat president of Kovvada, Mylapalli Polisu said that fishermen would lose their livelihood as restrictions would be imposed on fishing activity after construction of the nuclear power plant.

AP to make land arrangements for Kovvada nuclear plant

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A view of Kovvada village in Srikakulam district. Land acquisition is likely to be completely by end of this year for construction of nuclear power plant. File Photo

The HinduA view of Kovvada village in Srikakulam district. Land acquisition is likely to be completely by end of this year for construction of nuclear power plant. File Photo

HYDERABAD, JUNE 5:

Andhra Pradesh government is in the process of allocating land for the Kovvada nuclear power plant of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) planned in Srikakulam district of the State.

State Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao, who held a meeting with officials of the NPCIL and District administration on Thursday wanted all the arrangements made to expedite the allocation of the land for the nuclear power project.

The Government proposes to take the consent of land owners as per the rules of existing law and procedures, the Chief Secretary said in a statement.

During the meeting held with the officials of Atomic Energy, NPCIL, State Energy Departments and through video conference with the Srikakulam District Collector, P. Lakshmi Narasimham, the Chief Secretary suggested handing over the land after taking the necessary amount for the land.

The Central Government approved the proposal of NPCIL for the Nuclear project duly obtaining necessary clearances from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Government of Andhra Pradesh has issued orders for land acquisition in Srikakulam district for the Nuclear Project.

The Chief Secretary suggested the NPCIL deposit 80 per cent of the total cost of the land required for the project to the State Government as indicated by the Collector and enable him to handover the land within stipulated period by fulfilling the formalities.

The District Collector said that land will be handed over to NPCIL by offering the best package to the land owners as per the present Government’s new land policy.

(This article was published on June 5, 2015)

Nuclear Power Plant must in Kovvada: CM Chandrababu Naidu

CM asked the fishermen and sarpanches to cooperate with the collector for better R&R payments. (Photo: DC/File)

SRIKAKULAM: The proposed Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) must be built at Kovvada, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said. He was speaking to fishermen association representatives and sarpanches of affected villages’ at Derasam on Thursday.

After inauguration of VKT Pharmaceuticals at Derasam fishermen association representatives and sarpanches met the Chief Minister along with TD Etcherla MLA K. Kala Venkata Rao and explained their opposition to the NPP.

According to the fishermen and MLA Kala Venkata Rao, Mr Naidu refused their plea to stop the NPP and said that it is a must as the Centre has made it a condition for the allotment of funds. We have a chance to fight for a better package but cannot stop the NPP, the Chief Minister reportedly told them. The CM asked the fishermen and sarpanches to cooperate with the collector for better R&R payments. “If you oppose the NPP, industrialists will not come to Srikakulam and that will affect development,” he explained.

Before the CM arrived, the police detained anti-NPP activists at Pydibhi-mavaram and sent them to the JR Puram police station. The anti-NPP activists planned a protest before the CM at Pathivadapalem.

Kovvada Nuclear Plant a Threat to AP: US Prof

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.

'Nuclear power plant at Kovvada may be ready in 7 years'

CH R S SARMA

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VISAKHAPATNAM, FEB 4:

The 10,000-MW nuclear power plant, being established by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd at Kovvada village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, may be ready in seven years, according to Additional Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, CBS Venkata Ramana.

He was delivering a lecture in Gitam University on Wednesday on nuclear power and its importance to India. He said the country’s nuclear power programme was on track.

Venkata Ramana also said that about 50 MW of power would be given to AP from the Kudankulam plant from its first phase. He pointed out that renewable energy was good, "but the sources are not dependable, when compared to non-renewable forms such as thermal or nuclear''.

Venkata Ramana gave an assurance that the country had mastered the nuclear technology and adequate safeguard measures were in place.

Referring to spent fuel storage and reuse technology, he said the technology was on a par with that of the developed nations.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

(This article was published on February 4, 2015)

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