After Nepal quake, Shiv Sena raises questions over Jaitapur nuclear project site

Soon to meet PM seeking shift of project outside Maharashtra

On the backdrop of devastating earthquake in Nepal, the BJP's junior partner Shiv Sena in the Central and Maharashtra government, has raised serious doubts over the safety of nuclear power plants already operational and those proposed in the seismic zones. The obvious reference was the proposed development of 9,900 MW Jaitapur power plant in the state and party's strong opposition.

The saffron party reiterated that the government should shift Jaitapur project outside Maharashtra as the natural calamity like earthquake and human errors will adversely affect the population and the environment. It would create a havoc.

Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and sought government's reply on precautionary safety measures. He wanted to know how the Jaitapur project site is safe especially when country's 58.6% area is earthquake prone.

Further, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray declared that the party will continue to oppose the development of nuclear plant at Jaitapur. Thackeray roared despite chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the project has now reached a stage from where there is no option of going back. He down played Shiv Sena's protest and added that This project will be completed at any cost now.

Thackeray has also announced that the party MPs will soon make a representation to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an appeal to shift nuclear project outside the state.

Incidentally, the Jaitapur project site is located in seismic zone III as per the Indian Standard 1893 (2002).

Nuclear Power Corporation of India td (NPCIL), which is the developer of nuclear plant at Jaitapur, admitted that seismicity is one of the key criteria in site selection. NPCIL official said Jaitapur site meets the requirements as stipulated in the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board's code on safety in nuclear plant siting, including absence of any capable faults within 5 km.

Further, the official informed that Jaitapur project site has much greater safety margins as there is no capable fault within 30 km. The site is safe and engineerable from seismic criteria. He added that the Indian nuclear power plants have been located in zones II, III and IV.