Karnataka: Fear grips Koppal villagers over proposed nuclear power plant

A mass movement is building up against the Centre's plan to set up Karnataka’s second nuclear power plant near Arasinakeri in Koppal district. Locals and environmental activists are both up in arms against the project, saying it will adversely impact the environment as well as the historical monuments located not far from the proposed site.

The villagers of Chikkabenakal, Hirebenakal, Yedahalli, Mukkumpi, HRG Nagar, Hemagudda and Lingadalli have decided to launch a massive campaign against the government’s move.

Villagers hold protest meeting

They held a meeting immediately after Gangavathi tahsildar U Nagaraj wrote to the assistant commissioner of Koppal district, indicating that more than 2,000 acres of land were available next to a reserve forest where the plant can be set up.

The villagers fear that the plant will impact the megalithic funerary monument at Hirebenakal and the historical monuments of Vijayanagar period, located some 20 km from the identified site.

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Why are people upset?

Shivamurthy, president of the Hirebenakal Gram Panchayat, said the villagers were aware that the proposal was just at an initial stage.

“But we want to launch a movement now, to nip the project in the bud,” he told The Federal. “We are not being misled.”

He added that some environmental activists have cautioned the people about the dangers of a nuclear power plant, citing significant risks to the inhabitants and the ecological system.

Blocking highway to make a point

Hundreds of villagers from Gangavathi taluk, under the banner of the Movement Against Nuclear Power Plant (MaNPP), blocked a state highway at Hemagudda toll gate for some time on Saturday (January 4).

Former Karnataka minister Mallikarjuna Nagappa, Kottur Matha seer Devikananda Swamiji, former MP Shivarama Gouda, and former MLC Kariyanna Sangati, too, participated in the protest.

HR Srinath, a former MLC and coordinator of MaNPP, said the villages feared for the ecology and the heritage site.

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Official’s report sparks fear

Another village elder said the Hirebenakal site is among the few megalithic sites in India that can be dated to 800 CE to 200 BCE period.

Srinath said taluk-level officials had submitted a report to the district administration that the land next to the reserve forest area near Hirebenakal and Arisinakere were suitable for the plant.

He said a fear psychosis had gripped the people across Koppal district.

NNPC scouts the region

What set off the alarm bells was a communication from the deputy commissioner of Koppal to all the tahsildars of the district, asking them to identify a minimum of 1,200 acres of land for the plant.

The assistant commissioner Koppal, Mahesh Malagatti, told The Federal that a National Nuclear Power Corp (NNPC) team visited the district and met district officials.

It also visited other districts including Raichur, Vijayapura and Yadgir, looking for suitable land for the project.

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Call for public hearing

“There is no confirmation that the plant will be set up in Arisinakerei as the multi-crore project has to fulfil many conditions, including those related to land, water and connectivity,” he said.

Another district official clarified that the situation has not reached the stage to hold a public hearing.

But former MLC Kariyanna Sangati said such a public hearing must take place now and not after the land is identified.

Opposition to the plant

A revenue and taluk survey team conducted a joint survey of the area on December 17 and submitted a detailed report to the deputy commissioner on December 20.

Gangavathi MLA Janardhana Reddy has assured support to the villagers and promised to take up the issue at the national level.

“There is no question allowing the Centre to set up the nuclear power plant in Koppal. People are aware of its impact on the region. We are preparing to launch a major movement opposing against the Centre’s decision,” he told The Federal.

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‘Project in preliminary stage’

Amid the escalating protests, Koppal deputy commissioner Nalin Atul has reportedly clarified that a letter from the tahsildar do the assistant commissioner doesn’t mean a project will be implemented.

“The present development is just a preliminary exercise of the NNPC to identify suitable locations for the project,” he said. “The NNPC is also scouting for suitable locations across north-Karnataka. Koppal is one of them.

“Everything is just in the preliminary stage. Unfortunately, some people are misleading the people of the region,” he said.

A scientist’s view

According to a Koppal-based scientist who spoke to The Federal on condition of anonymity, the Indian government is committed to increasing its nuclear power capacity for its massive infrastructure development.

He said the government has set ambitious targets to expand its nuclear capacity.

He said the installed capacity of the Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant in Karnataka is 880 MW. He, too, felt that the modalities of the latest project have not been calculated.