Jairam advocates scrutiny of nuclear plants' safety

The government today said it can look at putting in place additional environmental safeguards to ensure safety of the proposed nuclear reactors in Jaitapur in the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan that has endangered the atomic power plants there.

"...Based on the technical reviews the NPCIL does, we will certainly be in touch with them and if additional safeguards have to be built in as part of the environmental clearance, we will certainly look at it," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He was reacting to a question whether the Government is going to have a relook at the Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra amid demands for a reconsideration in the wake of the deadly earthquake that caused damage in a nuclear facility in Japan.

Ramesh said the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is having a relook at all safety systems and designs.

"This is appropriately a subject that has to be dealt with the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board," the Minister said.

Ramesh said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made a detailed statement in Parliament and has ordered a review of safety systems at all the nuclear plants in the country.