Congress Questions Approval for Tata Power’s Nuclear Project in Rewa Amid Local Opposition
Congress raises concerns over Tata Powers nuclear project approval in Rewa, alleging disregard for local opposition and safety issues.
Rewa, October 26 (Daily Kiran) : Congress officials have raised serious concerns regarding the approval of initial drilling for Tata Power’s proposed nuclear energy project in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. The party claims that this approval was granted despite opposition from the local village council.
During a press conference in Bhopal, opposition leader Umang Singhar highlighted the issue, following his visit to the project site in the Rozhahi-Sarai Kala area. There, he met with protesting tribal residents and other villagers.
Singhar questioned the basis for issuing the ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) when the village council had clearly rejected the drilling proposal. He urged the government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the NOC and to make relevant documents public.
According to Singhar, the village council unanimously denied permission for drilling on September 3. He stated that the council informed the district collector of its decision via a letter on September 5. Despite this, the NOC was issued on September 23, citing a supposed consent letter dated September 4.
The village head, Komal Sanjay Singh, contacted the divisional commissioner and district collector on October 8, requesting verification of the alleged consent letter’s authenticity and the cancellation of the NOC.
The proposed project plans to establish two nuclear power units, each with a capacity of 220 megawatts. Local residents, including tribal families, small farmers, and agricultural laborers, are protesting the project due to concerns about safety, water availability, agricultural livelihoods, and environmental impact.
Singhar has demanded that the government clarify whether necessary assessments, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), seismic risk studies, and water availability evaluations, have been completed for the project.
He also requested information regarding disaster management preparations, the locations of the proposed reactors, and the number of villages and families that would be affected by the security zones.
“Authorities must explain how the safety of nearby residents will be ensured and how the interests of tribal families and farmers will be protected,” Singhar stated. He also referenced the death of a tribal woman, Vimla Kol, during the protests, emphasizing the need for serious attention to the concerns raised by demonstrators.
Singhar concluded by questioning the government’s ability to guarantee the safety of the nuclear plant, citing instances of contaminated water leading to fatalities and the dangers posed by toxic cough syrups to innocent children.
