‘`9L per acre for N-plant PAPs’
In an effort to defuse the opposition by locals to the proposed nuclear power plant at Jaitapur, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced that it would give `9 lakh extra per acre for those whose land was being acquired for the project.
The 9,900 MW project that is to be constructed in Jaitapur with the help of a French Firm Areva, has been facing stiff opposition from the local villagers ,who are also supported by anti-nuclear power activists and the Shiv Sena.
According to the government, 2,135 farmers will benefit from the new announcement. “Land of these farmers was acquired for as little as `50,000 to `4 lakh per acre. `9 lakh per acre will be in addition to the compensation given to those whose land was already acquired for the project,” informed a state government official.
However, the state government’s latest attempt to break the deadlock has not appeased the local villagers, who have said that no amount of money would help them change their decision. Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi, who is spearheading the protests, said that they would not back down despite the increased compensation. “This is not about the money, even if they offer `50 lakh per acre for the project we will not give our nod to the project. We are against the nuclear project,” said Mr Salvi.
The Konkan Bachao Samiti has also rejected the latest offer, saying that they are opposed to the nuclear project and won’t let the project move ahead. Most villagers said that while their lands have been acquired forcibly, they still haven’t taken the initial compensation offered by the government.
The villagers in Ratnagiri, where the project is being set up, have opposed the project, as they claim the nuclear projects are not safe and it would cause havoc to the ecology.
The local fishing community has also opposed the project, saying that the water discharged from the plant after cooling the reactors would raise the temperature of the sea water, thereby killing the marine life.
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