Ruckus at meet over Jaitapur n- plant

The Sena which had organised the talk presented a softened stand at the end of the five-hour long debate with Thackeray saying that the party would stand by the locals.

The first public interaction between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and opponents of the Jaitapur nuclear power project failed to build any bridges with both sides sticking to their positions and top officials heckled as they spoke.

Even though NPCIL associate director S Dharne started his talk by saying that all questions and concerns of people regarding the Jaitapur project will be answered,an impatient and agitated crowd stopped him midway through his presentation when he was making an attempt to explain how a nuclear reactor works and the safety aspects which are adhered to in a nuclear power plant.

The crowd started shouting and questioned him about the safety of employees who are deployed at a nuclear power plant,to which Dharne replied that safety of all employees is of utmost priority and all employees are well-trained in safety and other aspects before they are deployed at a plant site.

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Shrikumar Banerjee began his talk in English with details of the project. However,an impatient audience did not allow him to complete. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray who was on the dais had to intervene and urged people to at least pay attention to what he was saying,so that they could know what they are opposing.

The Sena which had organised the talk presented a softened stand at the end of the five-hour long debate with Thackeray saying that the party would stand by the locals. Thackeray had in the past categorically said that they would not allow the project to take off.

Thackeray said the dialogue was an effort to bring both sides on talking terms and hold a discussion regarding the project. He lashed out at the government for its failure to hold dialogue between the two parties.

The CM told me that foreigners were influencing locals in Jaitapur to oppose the project. My question to him is why the government did not reach out to the people and why efforts were made only after people have lost their lives, said Thackeray.

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He questioned the deal with AREVA for Jaitapur project stating that it was done without tender process. When we go through proper tender process for the BMC road projects,we are criticised. How is it that this project has been awarded without even a tender being issued? he asked.