Plan ready to develop villages near Kaiga nuclear plant: State

The Karnataka government has informed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) that it has prepared a proposal for upgrading the infrastructure facilities in villages close to the Kaiga Atomic Power Plant in Uttar Kannada district.

The NDMA, an unit under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, had carried out mock exercises in association with different state governments at all nuclear installations to assess the preparedness of various agencies in the event of nuclear disaster.

After the mock exercise, the NDMA had instructed all states to prepare development plans in villages falling under the emergency planning zone of the nuclear plants.

Responding to this, the Karnataka government had intimated the Disaster Management Authority that it has prepared a proposal on upgrading infrastructure around Kaiga nuclear plant.

Better facilities

Meanwhile, during a meeting with a delegation led by Rajya Sabha member Sitaram Yachury, the NDMA vice chairman Shashidhar Reddy said that his organisation will ensure that people living close to nuclear plants get better infrastructure including healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities.

In response to the delegation’s request to rehabilitate the residents of five villages falling within five km radius of Kaiga plant, Reddy explained that people living only in the 1.6 km sterile zone have been rehabilitated, while in the exclusion zone covering five km radius, residents were not rehabilitated.

Separate funds

Reddy also promised that he would take up the issue with the Planning Commission to
ensure that separate funds are earmarked for the development of villages close to the nuclear plant, said a statement from the Authority.