Skip to main content

Govt of India withdraws Mithi Virdi N-power project in Gujarat, blames delay in land acquisition, villagers rejoice

People walk out of environmental hearing for N-project in 2013
By Our Representative
It is official, finally. The Minisry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that that the 6000 MW nuclear project at Mithivirdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat, has been abandoned, and has been “shifted” to Kovadda, Andhra Pradesh on account of "delay" in land acquisition at the village Chhaya-Mithivirdi site.
Counterview had reported exactly a year ago (June 2, 2016) that a decision was taken by Toshiba Corp’s Westinghouse Electric, which was to build the nuclear plant in South Saurashtra coast of Gujarat not to go ahead with the project in view of local opposition. Westinghouse's decision came a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to visit the US.
The withdrawal of the nuclear plant has created a wave of happiness among the villagers around Mithi Virdi. They have decided to together on June 2 in village Jaspara to celebrate and congratulate each other for it. 
Protest against Mithi Virdi N-project
The villagers had gone to the NGT on March 3,  2015 challenging the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearance given to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), the Government of India undertaking, for the project. 
An communique issued by top Gujarat environmentalist Rohit Prajapati following the development quotes AR Anilkumar, executive director, NPCIL as sayingthat the proposal for “Environment Clearance (EC) before MoEFCC has been "delisted.” MOEFCC director Arvind Kumar Nautiyal has given a similar opinion, it adds.
The villagers’ victory comes four years after nearly 7,000 of them en masse walk-out of the Environmental Public Hearing (EPH) for the project, which took place on March 5, 2013, alleging that it was being conducted in “blatant contravention of the environmental laws and natural justice.” 
The walkout took place after the district collector, Bhavnagar, who chaired EPH, disallowed the leaders and sarpanches of the affected villages from raising issues of concern. Within no time, people started walking out. The pandal was emptied and only media persons, government and NPCIL staff was left in the huge pandal.
Subsequently, the proposed project was recommended for CRZ clearance by the Gujarat State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) cleared the CRZ on March 3, 2015, which prompted the villagers to approach NGT.
Those who went to the NGT included Shaktisinh H Gohil, Jagrutiben B. Gohil of Jaspara village, Hajabhai G Dihora of MithVirdi, and environmentalists Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), Vadodara.
On March 27, 2017, through a letter from the MoEFCC, the Government of India intimated the NGT that the proposed Westinghouse Nuclear Power Plant of 6000 MW was being “shifted” from Mithi Virdi due to “delay in land acquisition.”
In its order dated May 18, the NGT bench, consisting of judicial member (Justice UD Salvi) and expert member (Ranjan Chatterjee), noted that Nautiyal, director of MoEFCC, had submitted that the project at Mithi Virdhi, in whose favour CRZ clearance was granted, “is to be shifted to Kavvada, Andhra Pradesh on account of delay in land acquisition at village Chhaya- Mithivirdhi site”, hence the project does not survive and the matter is disposed of.
Taking credit for the development PSS’ Krishnakant has said, “We pushed out Westinghouse Nuclear Plant from Mithi Virdi area”, adding, “One struggle is over but anther struggle is on and people of the Mithi Virdi area have decided to extent all support and they will be part of the struggle with the people of Kovadda.”

Comments

TRENDING

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra*  The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Delhi HC rules in favour of retired Air Force officer 'overcharged' for Covid treatment

By Rosamma Thomas*  In a decision of May 22, 2023, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of petitioner Group Captain Suresh Khanna who was under treatment at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, between April 28 and May 5, 2021, for a period of eight days, for Covid-19 pneumonia. The petitioner had to pay Rs 3,55,286 as treatment costs, but the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) only reimbursed him for Rs 1,83,748, on the basis of government-approved rates. 

Urgency for next pandemic? But Mr Health Secretary, you're barking up wrong tree

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  The Union Health Secretary, Mr Rajesh Bhushan addressing the Health Working Group of G20 India, at Hyderabad on 05 June 2023, cautioned that the next pandemic would not wait for us to make global treaties and called on countries to work together.

Religious divide 'kept alive' with low intensity communalism in Gujarat's cultural capital

By Rajiv Shah  A fact-finding report, prepared by the Mumbai-based non-profit, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS), has cited the Vadodara Ram Navami violence of March 30 as yet another example of how, after the BJP consolidating its hold on political power in Gujarat post-2002 riots and at the Centre in 2014, the nature of communal riots has changed, underlining, as opposed to high-intensity violence earlier, now riots have become “more sub-radar and at a smaller scale, more localized”.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Why continued obsession with adding more 'water guzzling' coal, nuclear power plants?

By Shankar Sharma*  The true concerns over water inefficiency in coal power plants have been known and have been highlighted many times in the past. A highly relevant study report by Prayas Energy Group had highlighted this fast looming threat to our society many years ago. But our authorities have been acting as though there can be no issue with water supply, and that additional coal power plants can be added indefinitely; even without any true relevance to climate change.

Generative AI as 'potent weapon and shield' in battle of political misinformation

By Haziq Jeelani*  In the pulsating heart of the digital era, the political arena is ceaselessly molded by the swift and relentless flow of information. The line between fact and fiction often blurs, creating a nebulous landscape where truth and deceit intertwine. 

Kailash Satyarthi NGO rescues 12 child workers from high profile Gujarat private varsity

By Our Representative  In a rather grim reflection of the state of child labour in Gujarat, 12 child labourers, most of whom belong to Rajasthan tribal communities, have been rescued from the campus of a high profile private university in Rajkot by a team of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Labour Department, Centre for Labour Research and Action, and the Police.