Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chawan flatly blamed ‘outsiders’ for “instigating” trouble at Jaitapur, the site of a proposed Nuclear plant by French company Areva.
Chawan said the dangers from the 10,000 megawatt nuclear plant have been exaggerated by those with vested interests and those who are ideologically opposed to all nuclear power.
“The agitations are based on misconceptions and rumors spread by a lot of outsiders who have a definite political view on nuclear power itself,” he said, after holding talks with environment minister Jairam Ramesh and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
He also blamed Shiv Sena, which has taken over the anti-Jaitapur agitation, for “playing politics” with the “future of the nation.”
He said that Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the party, had met him along with a high power delegation and promised to support the plant.
“However, Shiv Sena has now decided to oppose it.. perhaps after the Japan episode,” he noted, urging the party to stop playing politics over the issue.
He said his government, along with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India — the government agency that is in charge of land acquisition etc. — are working on a substantially increased compensation package that will be announced soon.
The meeting also reiterated India’s commitment to increase the share of nuclear power from 3% at present to 6% by 2020 and 13% by 2030.