To mark the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, local residents and anti-nuclear activists plan to undertake a 50-km march from Ratnagiri to Jaitapur, the site of a 10,000-MW nuclear plant, on Sunday.
“When an advanced country like Germany is planning to phase out nuclear power plants, then there is no reason why our government should push nuclear power projects. It is fraught with risks. Hence, the long-march is our way of protesting against the project,” said Mr Pravin Gawankar of the local NGO Janhit Sewa Samiti.
Along the route from Ratnagiri, which is the district headquarters, the protestors would sensitise the people about the dangers of nuclear power, the ecological impact and the possibility of a nuclear accident at the Jaitapur plant, said Mr Satyajit Chavan, Convenor of the Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samiti.
The march will pass through Pavas and Ranpar villages, where the locals have been opposing thermal power plants.
“We will take written commitments from the people during the march so that NPCIL does not get any logistical or material support for building the plant. Contractors and their staff will not get any food or shelter in the district,” Mr Chavan said.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has been facing stiff resistance from the locals over the construction of the Jaitapur nuclear plant.