THE people of northern Andhra Pradesh should wage a relentless battle against the proposed nuclear power plant at Kovvada in Srikhakulam district as such a struggle alone can repel the move, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat said. Addressing a seminar in Visakhapatnam on July 17, he said that if not stopped, the nuclear power plant, being set up at the behest of the US, will have grave consequences for the people. Karat lambasted the subservient attitude of the Modi government in kowtowing to the demands of the US Administration in establishing redundant nuclear reactors at Kovvada. He said after the Prime Minister’s visit, Westinghouse Electric House has agreed to sell six nuclear reactors and these will be placed at Kovvada .He mentioned that the reason behind the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2008 and the 10-year defence cooperation deal with the US is to buy 50,000 MW nuclear reactors, promising a bonanza for the US businessmen. He reminded that in 2008 itself, the CPI(M) had stoutly opposed nuclear deal as it was against the sovereignty of our country. Karat said there is excess production of power in the state of Andhra Pradesh, and as such there is no compelling need to establish six nuclear power plants at a cost of Rs 2.8 lakh crore. He cautioned that in case of any accident, there will be huge loss of lives and to the property of people residing in northern Andhra Pradesh. And nuclear operators will shirk their responsibility, citing the provisions of the Nuclear Liability Act brought out by Congress and BJP governments. It is farcical that, in 2008, BJP had severely opposed the nuclear deal while they were in opposition, whereas after coming to power, they are mindlessly cruising in implementing the nuclear deal much against the will of the people. When there are alternative resources to augment power production, why the government is showing indecent heist in establishing six nuclear reactors which are outdated and may cause perilous consequences to the lives and environment, he asked. He cited the example of Fukushima nuclear reactor, which exploded in 2013 in Japan, and the mishap caused a colossal damage. Hence, Japan has been closing nuclear reactors though it has advanced technology. The US has not installed even a single reactor in the country and Germany closed about 20 reactors in the recent past, Karat said. In thermal power plant, the cost of production per mega watt is Rs 5 crore, whereas in nuclear power it is around Rs 48 crores, which will be huge burden on the people. He questioned both the central and state governments why they are showing interest on nuclear power by neglecting other renewable energy resources like coal, wind and solar which require less investment. Initially, the nuclear plant was proposed to be set up at Mithivirdhi in Gujarat, but the CPI(M) had launched an agitation opposing the proposal. Later, people, too, opposed it and a local BJP MLA also joined the fight against the nuclear plant as a result of which it was shifted to Kovvada, he said. He urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to reject the proposal of establishing nuclear reactors at Kovvada, since it was rejected by the residents of Mithividhi of Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. E A S Sarma, former secretary (energy) of the Government of India, blasted the Centre and the state for their attempts to throttle the civil rights of the people guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution. Under Article 48A, the central government is duty bound to protect and preserve the environment. But the acts of central and state governments are contrary to it, he said. He asked as to why no private insurance company is coming forward to insure these reactors and the World Bank is not issuing loan to these reactors? He said that the US has not commissioned any nuclear reactor since 1979 and recently the state of California has enacted a law opposing establishing of nuclear power plant. He exhorted the people to protest all attempts to muzzle the dissent of the people opposing establishment of nuclear reactors. The seminar was chaired by CPI(M) leader Ch. Narasinga Rao. He placed the resolution opposing establishment of nuclear power plant at Kovvada. Professor Sivaji Rao, a renowned environmentalist, was felicitated at the seminar. His book, Nuclear Plants, the Silent Killers, was launched by Karat. A day before the seminar, Karat visited Kovvada village and addressed public meetings in Kosta and Srikakulam. Karat interacted with the fishermen community of Kovvada and Kotapalem villages. Later, he visited sea coast near the villages where the nuclear plant is proposed to be set up. Speaking on the occasion, Karat expressed concern over the dumping of outdated US technology which has failed in many places including Fukushima, Japan. He also charged the central government with trying to put the entire north Andhra region comprising Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts in danger by establishing biggest atomic power plant with six reactors at Kovvada village. During his visit to villages, farmers and fishermen expressed their anguish and poured out their sufferings in the hands of the state administration. Many villages have submitted memorandums to Karat seeking the intervention of CPI(M). He interacted with the youngsters of Kovvada and assured them that the Party would fight along with them till the project was shelved. (END)