Nuclear power programme is mindless pursuit of greed: Prashant Bhushan

NEW DELHI: Terming the nuclear power programme as "mindless pursuit of greed" because of the heavy investment involved, AAP today said that if the government wants to come up with nuclear plants, a decision on this should only be taken after consulting the locals.

Senior AAP leader Prashant Bhushan also alleged that the Indian government had exempted the Russian plants from the basic miniscule liability for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

Speaking at a seminar organised on "Lessons from Fukushima - On nuclear Safety and accountability" by Greenpeace to mark the third anniversary of Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant accident, Bhushan said the nuclear energy was one of the most expensive source of power generation and there were chances of "kickbacks" from the contracts because of the sheer high cost of the project.

"Every nuclear plant in Jaitapur has an investment of 2 lakh crore. Even if a 5 per cent kickback on the contract of 2 lakh crore, it would mean Rs 10,000 crore. Nuclear projects are mindless pursuit of greed because nuclear plants are being imported," Bhushan, a senior advocate and AAP founder-leader said.

"AAP's stand is before setting up a nuclear plant the locals should be taken into consideration. You cannot thrust nuclear plants on them. This is the real concept of Swaraj, which our party advocates," he said.

He also added that although a nuclear disaster would cost Rs 15 lakh crore, the liability cap fixed under the law was only Rs 1500 crore.

"In the Kudankulam incident, the Russians plant have been exempted from the basic miniscule liability of Rs 1500 crore. Now they are demanding that for Kudankulam (reactor) 2,3 and 4 they should be exempted from liability."