Locals raise concerns about proposed nuclear plant in Koppal dist

Hubballi: Koppal deputy commissioner’s letter to the tahsildars in the district to identify 1,200 acres of land for setting up a nuclear power plant has raised concerns among the local residents.

The two locations identified by the tahsildars are next to historically significant monuments in Hirebenakal-Yedehalli, and Arisinakere, a proposed sloth bear sanctuary. 

Former MLC H R Srinath said the district administration has conducted the survey and identified lands that are 3 to 4 km away from world heritage site Hampi, and Hirebenakal, where around 400 megalithic funerary monuments dating back to 800 BCE are situated.

“The taluk-level officials have submitted a report to district administration stating that lands next to the reserve forest area near Hirebenakal and Arisinakere are suitable for nuclear power plant. We oppose setting up the plant here as it would cause an adverse impact on the health of humans and disturb the ecology,” Srinath told DH on Saturday. 

Sources in Koppal district administration informed DH that Union government has written a letter to several district administrations across the country, including three in Karnataka, to identify suitable land that is not prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, flooding, and volcanic eruption, among others. “Deccan Plateau being one of the most stable lands in the region, the central government has asked us to identify the land which is on the non-eventful tectonic plates,” sources said.

“Based on request from the government, we are looking to find a suitable land, after which necessary decisions can be taken,” Koppal Deputy Commissioner Nalini Atul told DH.

‘Just a prelim survey’

Gangavathi Tahsildar U Nagaraj said: “This is just a preliminary survey conducted as per the instruction from the DC. Our mandate was to identify whether more than 1,200 acres of land is available for a project and not necessarily a nuclear plant.”

The proposal has to first reach the state government, which, after conducting a feasibility study, will recommend it to Union government. The latter will then conduct an ecological and social impact survey, geological suitability study and other studies.

“It is not that easy to mark land for nuclear plants as there are hundreds of parameters that need to be fulfilled before getting approval,” a senior officer said.

Koppal-based scientist Udayshankar Puranik said Koppal is not ideally suited for nuclear power plants as it does not have “reliable water sources round the year” in spite of the Tungabhadra river flowing through it. Transportation of nuclear fuel and disposal of radiation materials is challenging.

“According to an estimate by Nuclear Energy Institute, generation of one megawatt of electricity through a nuclear plant requires 1,514 to 2,725 litres of water per hour. Hirebenakal-Yedehalli and Arisinakere don't have such huge quantities of water,” said Puranik and added that officials should have been careful before conducting surveys at such locations.