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SIDEBAR

Kerala's Power Plans Spark Nuclear Debate
**A 10-km laftty zone should be made around nuclear plants. But tome 200,000 people live in dozent of villages practically around a proponed nuclear plant in Kerala.
NDIA Is determined to have 10 000 megawatts of nuclear power by the year 2000
Amidst doubts from skep tics whether India can meet the colossal financial require ments of the ambitious target, environmental activists are spearheading a protest movement against nuclear power
The latest Instance of a powerful protest struggle cqmes from the Southern sthtc of Kerala. The Depart ment of Atomic Energy has decided to set up a twin 500-MW nuclear power plant at Perlngome In the Kannur district of Kerala
Two other projects tn th? South are Kalga in Karnataka and Koodangulam in Tamil Nadu Again. 11 is a question of guaranteeing aid from the former Soviet Union. The former Soviet republics are now In no position to help India.
Kerala s problem is that it is facing a power famine, partlcu larly In the Malabar belt of Its northern region. That was one reason why the Atomic Energy Commission opted for a nuclear power plant In that state Perlngome was considered as the mqgt suitable site Kerala a Communist government had lobbied hard for the allocation of this nuclear power project. The power reactor is going to cost 25.000 million rupees (US9877 million) and will be commissioned In seven years
But the move sparked off an angry movement. Anti-nuclear activists have been campaigning to educate the people on the dangers of nuclear power. Anti-nuclear marches, seminars and cultural shows have been held.
An expert on alternative energy, Mr R V G Menon, says there is sufficient ground to campaign against the estab lishment of nuclear power plants In Kerala or for that matter In most states of India. One important reason why a nuclear reactor should not be located at Perlngome Is the population factor, he says
According to safety parame ters, there should be safety zones of 10 kilometers around the reactor to protect against nuclear radiation. There are practically 200,000 people Hv Ing In dozens of villages around the proposed reactor If one takes a 3O-kltometre safety zone, then the population is over 1.5 million. (In the United States, families are not allowed to live within a 15-kllometre belt around a nuclear power station.)
It is not clear how the government proposes to rehabilitate some 1.5 million people In Kerala If the nuclear power plant is built at Perlngome
The Atomic Energy Comml salon has claimed that their tests have indicated that the soil foundation In the Perin-gome area la suitable for the nuclear power plant. This is contested by local scientists.
Besides, huge quantities of water will be required to oper ate the plant Fresh water is a scarce commodity In the region. Experts have estimated that as much as 120 cubic feet of water per second could be required for the two nuclear plants
Documentary film maker and novelist M T Vasudevan has been leading the campaign against nuclear power in Kerala Though I am no scientist I can understand that nuclear power is hazardous and that it should not be Inflicted on people In the name of electricity. Developed countries, which have much higher technical expertise and scientific capability, are retracing their steps and halting further nuclearisation, realising that it presents insurmountable problems." he says.
Wr have to say an emphatic no to nuclear power, not for our sake but for the sake of our children, the future generation We have absolutely no right to make their fives miserable "
Analysts are pointing to the poor track record of India In nuclear safety. For Instance, people living around Rawat-bhatta nuclear power reactor of Rajasthan have reportedly suffered from radiation diseases Reports of constant radiation leaks are stoutly denied by the Nuclear Power Corporation. — Depthnews Asia