Clearance given to Jaitapur plant needs to be re-looked: Sinha

NEW DELHI: A BJP leader on Tuesday called for a re-look into the conditional environmental clearance given to the Jaitapur nuclear plant in Maharashtra, noting it has created a "great deal of disquiet" among locals as well as others across the country.

Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said he was shocked that conditional clearance has been given to the plant.

"There are issues of safety but more importantly there are issues of environment and a conditional clearance given by the environment ministry is not enough. Minister Jairam Ramesh is on a mission mode and is trying to implement policies in that mode.

"Therefore, I was quite surprised, indeed shocked and I found that he has even given conditional clearance of the plant. It definitely calls for a re-look," Sinha told reporters.

He said the issue should be examined in detail once again.

The Jaitapur nuclear power complex is located in the ecologically sensitive coastal Maharashtra region which includes Raigad, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts.