Reconsider Gorakhpur nuclear plant: VK Singh appeals to Haryana

Press Trust of India / Fatehabad (Har) July 31, 2012, 21:05

Singh, who visited the site of a proposed nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur village of the district, said, "the government should reconsider the proposal."Installation of nuclear plants on fertile land was "unjustified and unreasonable", former Army Chief General V K Singh today said and claimed that harmful radiation from the plants cannot be checked in spite of best efforts. He said the installation of nuclear power plant at a fertile and arable land surrounded by thickly populated place is "unjustified and unreasonable." Singh and former IAS officer M G Devasahayam visited the village and joined the 'dharna' of farmers agitating against the proposed nuclear power project. "The government and engineers may take any measure of precautions for the safety of the people, but the harmful radiation in the air cannot be checked," Singh claimed. Coming in strong support of the farmers, who have been agitating for the past two years against the project, he said that life of about 1,500 farmers are being "ruined" due to the proposed project. Pitching against acquisition of land for projects like these, Singh warned of a food crisis that the country may face in coming years. "Every farmer here generates labour work for five or six persons. If the government continues to acquire land like this, the country would face food crisis of 1960s again and also add to the problem of unemployment," he said. Singh, who had hogged limelight following the age row and retired two months back, further claimed that the developed countries are winding up the nuclear power plants.