JOIN USNuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has endorsed the opinion of scientists who are attached to various national agencies that there was “no active volcano” near Kalpakkam nuclear complex near here, as stated by Smithsonian Global Volcanism programme.
The complex at Kalpakkam houses three major nuclear installations — Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), two units of Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) and Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), which are presently being constructed.
In a reply to an RTI application of city-based advocate M Vetriselvan, NPCIL has said, “The volcano indicated by Smithsonian Global Volcanism programme having number 0305-01 is an unconfirmed and an uncertain volcano.”
“The issue was discussed at highest level with National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).
The experts from these organisations have opined that there is no active volcano in this region, which could cause any concern,” NPCIL said in its June 13, 2013 reply to the RTI applicant. Earlier , in a separate reply to Vetriselvan, AERB said that it had asked utilities at Kalpakkam to undertake a detailed study through expert agencies and the work in that regard was in process.