Chennai: For the first time in the country the Central government has proposed to set up an Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel storage facility at the Nuclear Power Corporation of India's (NPCIL) Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is to hold a public hearing in this regard at Radhapuram, Tirunelveli, on July 10.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has invited suggestions, views, comments and objections from the public on or before the date of the public hearing by the district environmental engineer, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Tirunelveli. The public hearing for the Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility will be held at Vijayapathy village, Radhapuram taluk.
In the public notice, Member Secretary, TNPCB stated that as per Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 (as amended) a Public Hearing is mandatory for certain projects covered in Schedule of the Notification, and it has to be conducted by the State Pollution Control Board.
The TNPCB would conduct the event for establishment of Away from Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility at Kudankulam.
The Executive Summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment has to be made available in English and Tamil, as well as the draft EIA report in soft and hard copy for the public to refer to in seven places in the state.
The draft copies can be collected for reference from the office of the District Collector, Tirunelveli, the District Industries Centre, Palayamkottai, Office of the Commissioner, Radhapuram Panchayat Union, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Guindy, Office of the District Environmental Engineer, TNPCB, Assistant Director (Village Panchayats), Tirunelveli District Collectorate and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Regio-nal Office, Nungambakkam.
All persons including bona fide resident, environmental groups and others located at the plant sites, sites of displacement, sites likely to be affected, can participate in the public hearing and they can also make oral / written suggestion to DEE, Tirunelveli on the issue.
