By IANS,
New Delhi: Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh Monday termed “unscientific and disappointing” former Delhi High Court chief justice A.P. Shah’s statement that Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra would be a catastrophe if all safety concerns were not addressed.
“It is very much an unscientific approach to a scientific matter. I am very disappointed with Justice Shah’s statement,” Ramesh told reporters here.
Shah during a public hearing on the safety, viability and cost efficiency of nuclear energy in Chennai Saturday said the Jaitapur project would be a catastrophe if all the safety concerns were not addressed.
Justice Shah, who is heading a two-judge people’s tribunal along with Justice S.D. Pandit, said: “Enron was only a financial disaster, but this (Jaitapur project) would be a catastrophe. Unfortunately, there is no public debate in the country. Everything is hush-hush.”
Shah was appalled after it was pointed out that there was no safety study conducted by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
“There is a clear failure of undertaking a safety study. The EAC should ask for another Environment Impact Assessment (EIA),” he added.
People in Jaitapur have been protesting against the 9,900-MW nuclear power plant saying it will affect the environment.