2 reactors for nuclear project revive fear of water shortage

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

The approval of two additional reactors for the upcoming nuclear power project at Gorakhpur in Fatehabad has raised concerns of farmers, who worry that it would impact availability of the Bhakra water for irrigation in the area.

“The project will spell doom for farmers of the area as they will be left with no canal water to irrigate their fields,” alleged Prahlad Singh Bharukhera, president of the Haryana Kisan Manch.

At different points of time since 1984, when the idea of the project was first conceived, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd ( NPCIL) had sought different quantities of water ranging from 400 cusecs to 180 cusecs for cooling.

A perusal of the official records reveals that on June 25, 1984, the state Irrigation Department gave its consent to providing 400 cusecs of water for the project, which was to come up in nearby Kumharia village earlier. On January 3, 2006, the demand was scaled down to 320 cusecs.

Again, on January 30, 2013, the Irrigation Department said in a letter that of the 320 cusecs of water supplied to the NPCIL, 160 cusecs shall be consumed while the balance 160 cusecs shall be returned to the parent canal.

On January 3, 2013, KK Jalan, then Additional Chief Secretary (Irrigation), noted on the official file that, “It is true that we had given clearance earlier also. However, later it was found that it would be difficult to give such a large quantity of water to the NPCIL”.

The government, however, approved the demand with a rider that the NPCIL would meet its part demand from underground water and recycled water from nearby towns and villages.

On February 28, 2013, the NPCIL informed the Irrigation Department that as per the revised design leading to reduced water needs, the project would now draw 180 cusecs, use 128 cusecs and discharge the rest 52 cusecs back in the canal.

However, on November 22, 2016, the NPCIL said it was yet to sign an MoU with the department and the quantity of water to be drawn was yet to be finalised.

Hoshiar Singh, Manager (Public Relations), today confirmed that the NPCIL was still to sign the MoU. He, however, refused to answer questions on the exact quantity of water that would be required for the two additional reactors saying it was a technical issue.