Kumharia Nuclear Power Becomes Battle Ground for Political Powers

Fatehabad (I-Haryana News): The political tussle between Congress Party and opposition Parties over proposed Nuclear Power Plant at near village Kumharia in Hisar district has reached at climax a day before public hearing of grievances on July 17.

The Member of Parliament from Sirsa constituency under which this village Kumharia falls, Mr.Ashok Tanwar along with Fatiabad MLA, Prahlad Singh Killikhera organized a press conference on Monday in which they released the photo copies of letters written by former Chief Ministers of Haryana Late Ch. Bhajan Lal and Late Ch. Devi Lal to then prime minister to establish Nuclear Power Plant in Haryana and supported the establishment of Nuclear Power Plant at near village Kumharia in Hisar.

It is to mention that INLD Party led by Mr. Om Prakash Choutala son of Late Ch. Devi Lal and Haryana Janhit Party Led by Mr. Kuldeep Bishnoi son of Late Ch. Bhajan Lal are protesting against establishing the Power Plant at near village Kumharia in Hisar district and arguing Chief Minister, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda to establish this in his home District Rohtak as he has diverted most of development works to his home district. 

On other hand Haryana Power Minister, Capt. Ajay Singh Yadav today took strong exception to the disinformation campaign launched by the opposition parties to oppose the setting up of nuclear power plant in Haryana stating that those who are opposing this project, had, when they were in power, themselves urged the Central Government to expedite the setting up of nuclear power plant as it would immensely benefit Haryana.

Capt. Yadav said that in one such demi official letter, dated July 20, 1984, written by former Chief Minister Ch. Bhajan Lal to the then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, he had written, “We are happy to note that the Government of India has decided to set up an atomic power plant in the Northern region during the seventh plan. The site selection committee is already scrutinizing various probable sites in our State. We had offered four such sites which were inspected by the site selection committee and the site near village Kumharia in Hisar district has found favour and meets with all the basic requirements for the location of such a plant.”

Mr Bhajan Lal had also mentioned the additional advantages of plant, stating that the site is near the border of Rajasthan and Punjab States and as such can easily meet with the requirement of these States as well. The required transmission system already exists in the area for which no additional expenditure will have to be incurred. The site is at a safe distance from international borders assuring security to the plant. 

        

Again on October 25, 1985, Mr Bhajan Lal sent yet another letter to the then Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi urging to locate an atomic power plant in Haryana to tide over the huge deficit in installed capacity during the next 15 years and in view of the fact that Haryana does not have any hydro potential. He added that the site selection committee has inspected one site in district Hisar at village Kumharia which meets all the requirements for the location of atomic plant.

Thereafter, on November 23, 1987, the then Chief Minister of Haryana, Ch. Devi Lal, when the INLD was partner with BJP in the Government in Haryana, had written a demi official letter to the then Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi urging him, “Haryana should be considered favourably for a nuclear power facility.” Ch. Devi Lal also hoped in his letter that the matter would receive, “Your urgent and benign attention and early clearance is accorded for setting up of an atomic power plant of 2000 MW (4X500 MW) in Haryana, where land and water resources are available for the purpose.”

Devi Lal had mentioned in his letter, “I was glad to learn from newspaper reports that Government of India has established Nuclear Power Corporation with a view to creating nuclear power generation capacity of 10,000 MW by the year 2000 A.D.”

It was on July 16, 1993, when the then Chief Minister, Ch. Bhajan Lal sent yet another written communication to the then Prime Minister, Mr P. V. Narsimha Rao drawing his attention to the fact that the proposal to set up atomic power station in Haryana has not matured so far.

He sought intervention of Mr Narsimha Rao to direct the authorities concerned to set up the atomic power plant in Haryana.

when Mr Om Parkash Chautala was the Chief Minister of Haryana, a Central committee had survey the site for the atomic plant in 2000-01 and again in 2004.

Source: Intelligent Haryana News