Amid reports of a Russian project to build nuclear reactors in their vicinity, the people’s organisations and the Left parties in this sleepy town of Kavali and in Prakasam are preparing to rally together and offer stiff resistance to the nuclear power project (NPP) on the lines of the people’s agitation waged against the Kovvada plant.
An uneasy calm prevails over this town and surrounding habitations nearer the coast as their worst fears about the likelihood of a nuclear power project in their area appear to come true sooner than later.
However, sources in the district administration told The Hindu that they have no information regarding this project so far but it is certain that considerable tracts of government land are available in the Nellore-Prakasam district border to the north of Kavali town. These lands also fall within 7 to 10 km distance from the coast.
Strong rumours
Meanwhile, the Left leaders fear that rumours about this nuclear project have been in the air for over four or five months here but the local revenue officials have been asserting even now that they have no knowledge of any such project as yet.
“Though the rumours are thick and fast, there is no definite information as of today. This is why we are trying to get more information. Once we get clarity on this project, we will gather all the like-minded forces and build a mass movement over here,” said Talluru Malyadri, CPI(M) Kavali division secretary. What is disturbing these leaders the most is the fact that thickly populated villages like Rudrakota with 8,000 residents and Chevuru with 9,000 residents are located within 7 to 12 km distance from Kavali town. Around these villages, there are about nine smaller villages and hamlets and also nearly nine fishermen habitations nearer to the coast.
The Left leaders predicted a Kovvada-like resistance and even more for the Kavali project as it would have serious environmental and health consequences to the tens and thousands of people.
Recalling the past agitations, Mr. Malyadri said that way back in 2008 itself, their party local unit organized a meeting in Kavali town when their party Polit bureau member Prakash Karat delivered his address taking strong objection to what he described as anti-people Indo-American Civil Nuclear Agreement.
Similar voices are heard in neighbouring Prakasam district where the Left parties geared up for massive protests to put pressure on the Union and State governments to shelve the proposed project.
Reacting to media reports that the Centre eyed coastal Andhra Pradesh for setting up mega nuclear power plants to produce 30,000 MW in coastal Andhra Pradesh by 2031, in the wake of vociferous protests from people in other States like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakasam district Secretary Punati Anjaneyulu told reporters: “We will not allow the nuclear plants to be set up anywhere in the populous 100 km coastline in the district.”
The Centre had reportedly sought about 1,700 acres of land for the NPP, he said, adding that a preliminary survey had been conducted to find a suitable land between Kothapatnam and Ramayapatnam, he said. “We will build a people’s movement against NPP by roping in like-minded parties and civil society organisations taking into account the ill-effects of past industrial mishaps and challenges posed in handling nuclear waste elsewhere.”
Prakasam District Collector Sujata Sharma told The Hindu that no proposal had been received so far for land acquisition for any NPP.
We will gather all like-minded forces and build a mass movement over here
Talluru Malyadri
