Eye on polls,Haryana plans to roll out n-plant

Sources said,last week,Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to lay the foundation of the plant — the first of the four 700 MW units is scheduled to be operational by 2020.

When contacted,project director T R Arora said the project was awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). “Though we are ready to start construction,our contracts and tendering processes are yet to take off,as we are waiting for MoEF clearance and a final review by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board,” he said,adding that 1,313 acres have been earmarked for the plant.

“There are certain issues which need to be addressed but we are likely to get the clearance soon. The MoEF has asked for certain details,which had been provided. But we are still waiting for a final nod,” added Arora.

According to sources,the MoEF is concerned about wildlife population in the area besides the green cover,especially after the area’s dominant Bishnoi community expressed concern over the need to protect black bucks found around Kajalheri and Badowal villages.

Though in the past the project authorities had addressed the concerns of MoEF,but the ministry has again asked for a complete demographic and socio-economic profile of the people staying in the area surrounding the plant,sources added.

Pradeep Chaudhary,state convenor of Parmanu Virodhi Morcha,claimed though it did not have a environment clearance for the project,the government has held public hearings with villagers. “They are planning to lay the foundation of the project,which we will not allow at any cost. The area is home to more than 250 black bucks. They have fenced the area where the black bucks stay with barbed wire. This is inhuman and offensive,” said Chaudhary.

When asked,state Power Minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav claimed there was no hurdle in laying the foundation for the project,as land acquired for the purpose has already been transferred for work to begin. “All clearances will be obtained in due course of time. But till that happens,we should go ahead with whatever we can do,as this is our most prestigious venture,” he added.

MUKESH BHARDWAJ