{"id":19300,"date":"2012-05-28T12:00:34","date_gmt":"2012-05-28T11:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=19300"},"modified":"2012-11-03T14:24:11","modified_gmt":"2012-11-03T14:24:11","slug":"site-evaluation-report-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2012\/05\/site-evaluation-report-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Site Evaluation Report – Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"

PRESS RELEASE – May 24, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1] As per the Decision No. CIC\/SG\/A\/2012\/000544\/18674 dated 30.4.2012, the Central Information Commissioner ordered \u201cto provide an attested photocopy of the Safety Analysis Report and Site Evaluation Report after severing any proprietary details of designs provided by the suppliers to the appellant before 25 May, 2012.\u201d The CIC has stated categorically that \u201cif the said reports have details of designs of the plant which are specially provided by the suppliers,\u201d \u201cthe PIO can severe such design details which have been provided by the supplier as per the provisions of Section 10 of the [RTI] Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

[2] The NPCIL in its reply to the CIC argues that the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) \u201cis a \u2018third party document\u2019 and therefore, without the prior consent of the third party, the same cannot be shared with anyone.\u201d Although they are holding the SAR in a \u2018Fiduciary Capacity,\u2019 the NPCIL has said it is \u201cready and willing to show the copy\u201d of SAR to the CIC. But they cannot share it with the people of India. Obviously, the NPCIL is more interested in the safety of the Russian company and the Russian benefactors but not in the safety of the people of India.<\/p>\n

[3] The Central Public Information Officer, Shri S. K. Shrivastava, has sent \u201cthe copy of Site Evaluation Report for KKNPP 1 & 2\u201d with the cover letter No. NPCIL\/VSB\/CPIO\/620\/KKNPP\/2012\/769 dated May 17, 2012.<\/p>\n

Physical Shape of the so called SER<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

The so-called Site Evaluation Report (SER) consists of twelve (12) pages of hardly-legible typed-material with no cover page, no authorship, no ownership, no publisher, no date, no index, and no head or tail. If the print quality of the so called SER is anything to go by to assess the standard of the overall Koodankulam nuclear power project, we have so much to worry about our and our country\u2019s future. You can hardly read a word and rarely decipher a number. Maybe that is the way NPCIL prepares its important public safety reports so that no one can and will read, understand, discuss, debate and ask more questions.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the so called SER mentions the Soviet Union in several places and it proves that the report is also quite old and outdated. Common sense tells us that this is certainly not the original or complete \u2018Site Evaluation Report\u2019 for KKNPP 1 and 2. And if it really is, then Indian citizens have something serious to worry about. In all probability, what we have received is some loose old notes of the NPCIL hurriedly put together to meet the CIC deadline and to mislead the public. It is very strange that the SER of India\u2019s first largest mega nuclear complex that may allegedly house six to eight large imported reactors is 12 loose A-4 sheets. It is unbelievable that an ambitious India-Russia joint project built with a whopping outlay of Rs. 14,000 crore has such a lackadaisical site evaluation study.<\/p>\n

In the so called SER that has been sent to us, pages 1, 2, 3 and 13 have been expunged without any explanation. It is unlikely that this report may have \u201cdetails of designs of the plant.\u201d It gives rise to a suspicion that the NPCIL still hiding some crucial public safety-related information from the Indian public. On Page 4, the last paragraph mentions \u201cthe site selection committee\u201d and \u201c[t]he present committee\u201d without mentioning the number of members or their names. It is unclear why the NPCIL is trying to hide this vital and relevant information.<\/p>\n

Startling Revelations in the so called SER:<\/strong><\/p>\n

[i] Pechipari Water Will be Taken<\/strong><\/p>\n

The so called SER records on Pages 6-7: \u201cIn order to enhance additional reliability for water supply, which is essential for functioning of various safety systems of the reactor, intake well at Pechiparai Dam should be provided at lower elevation than the minimum draw-down level of the reservoir. However, it should be ensured by proper management of water distribution that the water level is maintained above this minimum level.\u201d On Page 11, the SER discusses \u201cFresh water for make-up and domestic use\u201d and establishes that it is \u201cAssured by State Government. One pipe line from Pechiparai dam (at 65 km) to be laid.\u201d Indeed two pipe lines have already been laid from the tail end of the Kuzhithurai Tamirabharani river along the Kanyakumari district coast and from a location some 5 kms away from the Pechiparai dam through Nagercoil town. The NPCIL authorities simply parrot the unserious assertion that they would not take water from the Pechiparai dam, and the Government of Tamil Nadu ignores our long-standing demand of passing an Assembly resolution against taking the Pechiparai water. As a matter of fact, the Tamil Nadu government has recently allotted some Rs. 5 crore to desilt the dam and maintain it.<\/p>\n

[ii] No Evacuation Routes Planned or Prescribed<\/strong><\/p>\n

The so called SER claims on Page 8: \u201cAt least two evacuation routes from plant site during an emergency should be provided.\u201d It established on Page 16: \u201c3 routes exist for possible evacuation. Schools and other public buildings exist for adequate temporary shelter, Nagercoil (30km), Tirunelveli (100km), and Tuticorin (100km) can provide communication, medical facilities and administrative support.\u201d But there is no discussion about the escape routes, the condition of these roads, the status of the relief shelters and so forth.<\/p>\n

[iii] Possible Future Expansion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under Topography, the so called SER asserts: \u201cSufficient land available for future expansion.\u201d But the NPCIL officials keep saying that they will not take more land for the KKNPP.<\/p>\n

[iv] Incomplete and Incoherent Info on Hydrology, Geology, Oceanography and Seismology Aspects<\/strong><\/p>\n

All these important issues are very briefly mentioned in a Table with cursory information and without any in-depth analysis.<\/p>\n