New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) The issue of setting up a nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra is being ‘politicised’ by opposition parties, unhappy over the ‘success’ of the India-US nuclear deal, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.
‘The issue is being politicised by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) as they are not happy with the success of the Indo-US nuclear deal,’ Ramesh told reporters here.
He termed the India-French nuclear project as the ‘first outcome’ of the India-US nuclear deal, which allowed the country back into the fold of the international nuclear trade.
On Tuesday, the BJP and the CPI-M demanded that the government should reassess the clearance given to the nuclear plant.
The ministry last month accorded clearance to the 9,900 MW Jaitapur nuclear power project slated to come up in Ratnagiri district of the state. The plant will be set up in collaboration with France’s Areva group.
Local fishermen are protesting the location of the plant, fearing they would not be allowed to carry out fishing in the area for security reasons.
‘As far as environmental clearance to the project is concerned, it is over from our side. And the environment ministry has nothing to do with it,’ Ramesh said.
‘The political parties should not use the environment ministry as a shield or cloak to fire at the government,’ he said.
