Convener, Konkan Vinashkari Prakalap Virodhi Samiti
The plan by NPCIL to establish 9900 MW nuclear project was first publicly announced in Sept 2005. The Jaitapur project is planned to be the biggest nuclear power station in the world. This project is to be spread over 968 hectors of land of five villages- Madban, Niveli, Karel, Mithgavane & Varliwada. However to fight against forcible land acquisition, the locals had formed “Janhit Seva Samiti”, under this banner all protests were organized.
Mr. Pravin Gawankar was the President of this Samiti. He is a “Khot” i.e. a big landlord of Madban. Another office bearer Dr. Milind Desai too is a big farmer whose family owned more than 150 acres of land in Mithgavane. There were a number of unregistered & unrecorded tenants on his land.
Fisherfolk in Sakhri Nate protesting against Areva's project |
The actual facts and the reality of protests in the project area and against the nuclear power project was revealed by the local Sakhari- Nate fisher folks and Mithgavane, Madban Panchkroshi Samiti by their fisher folk leader Mr. Amajad Borkar, Mr. Mansur Solkar and others on 31st Aug 2013.
A fisherman looks into the sea off Nate |
Sakhari-Nate, a village of 10,000 population which is just going to be 5-10 k.m. away from the reactor, is the most affected and has been in the forefront of protests. They have organised a press conference and have condemned the decision of Mr. Gavankar to negotiate with the government and take back the protests. The fight against nuclear project is going to continue as many feel let down by Mr Gavankar. With or without Gavankar, the protests are going to continue.
(Update: In a meeting and Press Conference held in Mumbai on September 2nd, 2013, the local activists pledged to continue their fight against the project despite the "leaders" letting them down. Read here)
The author can be reached on Vaishraj4@redfiffmail.com
Video: Protests in Sakhri Nate, January 2013
(This is an edited / updated version of the article which appeared on 02/09/2013 on www.dianuke.org)
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