Kolar should not become nuclear dumpyard: Activists

Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) Friday said dumping spent nuclear fuel in Kolar gold mines could lead to disastrous health consequences.

“When all the national roads transport deadly nuclear cargo to Kolar (Kolar gold mines), millions and millions of our people in Karnataka, Andhra (Pradesh) and Tamil Nadu will be exposed to all kinds of threats and dangers. Nuclear waste management is much more expensive and dangerous than nuclear power plants and even most developed countries such as the United States and Germany are not able to handle the waste effectively,” PMANE said in a statement.

“The Indian government should not go against the anti−nuclear trend of the world to promote the interests of the United States, Russia and France and expose the people of our country to nuclear dangers in Kudankulam, or Kolar or anywhere else,” the statement said.

According to the PMANE, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had not shared any basic information on storing the spent fuel of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) at Kolar in Karnataka.

“The ad−hoc nature of the DAE’s decision−making and the short shrift given to science and public opinion are so glaring and, in fact, very disturbing,” PMANE said.

IANS 2012-11-23 22:42:10