GCZMA sends nuke plant proposal to MoEF for nod without site visit

The Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has recommended Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited’s (NCPIL) proposed 6,900-MW nuclear power plant to the Central Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance. However,the recommendation has been made without a site visit by its member and without asking for or going through a detailed note on the safety aspects.

A decision in this regard was taken by the GCZMA on June 11,the minutes of which were released subsequently. The operative portion of the minutes reads: “The Authority deliberated the proposal of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and after a detailed discussion,decided to recommend it to the Ministry of Environment and Forests,Government of India to grant CRZ clearance for construction of intake,outfall facilities,jetty and desalination plant at Mithivirdi village in Bhavnagar by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited,only after submission of the following details to this Department:1. Detailed note reading the safety aspects and site selection criteria along with its advantage for this site and submit to this Department. 2. A site visit should be carried out by GCZMA member.”

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Opposing the move of the GCZMA,environment activist Rohit Prajapati says,“In CRZ clearance,the recommendation of the state is very important. And this (the minutes) clearly means that they are not serious about the CRZ clearance because they have casually given this clearance/recommendation without asking for and reading the note on safety aspects,site clearance report and without undertaking the site visit.”

Prajapati’s organisation,Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti,and Gujarat Anuurja Mukti Andolan, an organisation of locals in Bhavnagar district,have demanded that the recommendations accorded by the GCZMA should be revoked. Member secretary of GCZMA,Hardik Shah,could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

“The authority does not have any powers for granting clearance as such. We have just taken a decision to recommend the proposal to the appraisal committee working under MoEF. Now it is solely at their discretion to take a decision on it,” a GCZMA member told PTI.