Villagers opposing the 10,000 MW Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district have decided to launch an economic non-cooperation movement against Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.

About 4,000 locals participated in a protest rally from Ratnagiri to Jaitapur on Sunday. About 700 of them signed a pledge that they would not give any lodging and material supplies to the contractors and NPCIL staff working on the project.

Mr Satyajit Chavan, convenor of the Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samiti, said the project is not in the interests of the people.

“The 50-km rally passed through villages which have been supplying food to the State Reserve Police platoons entrusted with the task of protecting the project site. Henceforth, the police and the NPCIL authorities should not expect any support from the villagers,” he said.

The NPCIL is in the process of building a mammoth 10,000 MW nuclear power project at Jaitapur. In spite of vehement opposition, the company has been able to acquire 938 hectares of land for the project. Today, a massive boundary wall encircles the main project site at Madban village. Small observation labs have also been set up at the site.

An industry official, who had earlier overseen construction work at Rawatbhata (Rajasthan) and Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu) nuclear reactors, said that during construction of nuclear plants, almost 1,000 workers and engineers are deployed at the site round the clock.

Food and construction material is sourced locally. “If the contractor can't source food locally, then the project will get delayed and the costs will rise,” the official said.

> rahulw@thehindu.co.in

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