Fatehabad: Installation of nuclear plants on fertile land was “unjustified and unreasonable”, former Army Chief General V K Singh today said and claimed that harmful radiation from the plants cannot be checked in spite of best efforts.
Singh, who visited the site of a proposed nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur village of the district, said, “the government should reconsider the proposal.” He said the installation of nuclear power plant at a fertile and arable land surrounded by thickly populated place is “unjustified and unreasonable.”
PTI
Singh and former IAS officer M G Devasahayam visited the village and joined the ‘dharna’ of farmers agitating against the proposed nuclear power project. “The government and engineers may take any measure of precautions for the safety of the people, but the harmful radiation in the air cannot be checked,” Singh claimed.
Coming in strong support of the farmers, who have been agitating for the past two years against the project, he said that life of about 1,500 farmers are being “ruined” due to the proposed project.
Pitching against acquisition of land for projects like these, Singh warned of a food crisis that the country may face in coming years.
“Every farmer here generates labour work for five or six persons. If the government continues to acquire land like this, the country would face food crisis of 1960s again and also add to the problem of unemployment,” he said.
Singh, who had hogged limelight following the age row and retired two months back, further claimed that the developed countries are winding up the nuclear power plants.
“Instead of nuclear power plants the country needs improvement in power distribution system to avoid line
losses,” he said.
Responding to question about his opinion towards Anna Hazare‘s ongoing stir, he said, “We will support the issues which are in the interest of the country.”
To a question whether he would join politics in future, he indicated that he was not averse to it, but left it to people.
“The people have to think about it, I am a “Fauji” (soldier). I will never look back once decided (if people wish that he should join politics, he is not averse to it).”
PTI
