Jaitapur protests: Chavan blames ‘foreign powers’

The project is being opposed by some locals,backed by environmental activists,who say that the nuclear plant will damage the fragile Konkan ecology and hurt their livelihood. Although the government has issued notices to acquire the 968 hectares of land needed for the project in five villages,most of the villagers have refused to accept the compensation and surrender their land.

Chavan sought to allay the fears of the locals since taking over as Chief Minister and made his first visit to the area on Saturday along with Industries Minister and local strongman Narayan Rane. The two leaders brushed aside the opposition to the project as “misconceptions”,“politically motivated” and fuelled by “outsiders”. Speaking about the need for industrialisation and electricity,Chavan said that some foreign powers did not wish India to develop,although he did not name who these powers were.

“There are some foreign powers who do not wish to see India progress but India will overcome that. You should not be swayed by outsiders. You will have different views but don’t be influenced by misconception and wrong information,” Chavan told a public rally. “There was no need to hold the discussion in Mumbai or come here after the environmental clearance — land acquisition process had been completed. You are being misled and influenced by outsiders and people with political motivations.”

Chavan also took a dig at the protesting crowd,asking them why they had chosen to stay away from the open house in Mumbai where experts from the field of nuclear energy and cancer would have dispelled their misconceptions. He said that there was no credence in the concerns expressed about health,fishing,radiation and water temperature.

“We will not let the project happen. If he wants to say that the memoranda presented by us are false,we are ready to prove that they are true. We will discuss our concerns with the government,” said Pravin Gavankar,of the Janhit Seva Samiti.