Nuclear experts to visit Haryana,allay fears about proposed reactor

Sources add that the sensitisation exercise is being undertaken to counter the fresh impetus to the ongoing protest against the setting up of the proposed plant in the state following the nuclear crises in Japan last month.

Other than anti-nuclear plant activists who have been protesting against the setting up of the plant in New Delhi and other places,various farmer bodies have also been protesting against the acquisition of their land for the plant.

Following the nuclear crisis in Japan,the state’s opposition parties too had voiced their concerns over the safety of nuclear plants in India. Indian National Lok Dal supremo Om Prakash Chautala had supported the protesters against the acquisition of land for the project.

Haryana government intends to acquire over 1300 acres of land in Gorakhpur for the setting up of the plant and has issued acquisition orders under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act in July 2010. Protesting against the move,Gorakhpur farmers have been sitting on a dharna outside the secretariat at Fatehabad since August 2010.

The notification under section 6 is to be done within a year of the notification under section 4 and if the state fails to issue the notification the entire process of land acquisition would have to be restarted.

Despite the rising protests,the NPCIL is said to be confident of getting a clearance for the project in Haryana soon and start executing the project.

Sources in HPGCL say the NPCIL presentation will help to clear doubts that might have cropped up about proceeding with the establishment of the nuclear power plant in Gorakhpur.