North's first N-plant to come up in Haryana's Fatehabad; locals flag issues

New Delhi/Hisar, December 2

Even as Union Minister Jitendra Singh today told the Rajya Sabha that the North India’s first nuclear power plant was coming up at Gorakhpur village in Haryana’s Fatehabad district, locals claimed despite the acquisition of land in 2012, the work was going on at a snail’s pace.

The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension said till now the nuclear plants were limited only to southern states. “We have now moved northwards and going to have a project at Gorakhpur,” he said.

While the government is betting big on nuclear power generation, Gorakhpur villagers said the work slowed down drastically after the initial push. “We had begun to think that the government might be reviewing its decision about the project,” said Rajesh Beniwal, a villager.

He said several promises were made by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) when the land was acquired in 2012. “We had to resort to agitation to get fair price for our land. There are many unfulfilled promises, including developing infrastructure in the village and providing jobs to the affected farmers,” he said.

The project known as Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana will have four 700 MWe PHWR types of nuclear plants. Villagers and activists had launched an agitation during 2010-12, claiming the project would have adverse impact on the environment in the region, besides creating scarcity of water for irrigation.

Wildlife activist Vinod Kumar said the NPCIL had promised to develop a community reserve area for protection and preservation of livestock in the region, although it did spend funds under the corporate social responsibility in the village.

The corporation also created protection zones for engendered species of blackbucks and soft-shell turtles at Dhangar and Kajlaheri villages of Fatehabad district for Rs 1.35 crore, he said. — TNS

Land acquired in ’12, work at slow pace

• Land for N-plant acquired in 2012; villagers got rates revised after protests
• NPCIL vowed to develop area, give jobs to affected persons
• Locals say while work is on at a slow pace, no infrastructure project was undertaken