Haryana, March 27 – Senior Congress Leader and legislator from Nalwa assembly constituency Prof. Sampat Singh took strong exception to the statement of INLD leader’s that they will first face the bullets if the land is acquired for proposed Nuclear Power Plant at Gorakhpur in district Fatehabad.
Prof. Sampat who was addressing a press conference here today, said that such type of undemocratic, instigating and violent language does not suit to a politician. Perhaps the opposition did not know about the Nuclear Power Plant. Either they do not want the pace of development in Haryana or indulged in petty politics to fulfill their petty gimmicks. He said that parties like INLD and HJC, which are opposing the nuclear power plant, must be having their own reasons to do so. However, the fact remains that their patrons demanded this plant whenever they were in power, he clarified.
Senior Congress leader reminded that Mr. Bhajan Lal, as Chief Minister of the state, was the first to demand a nuclear plant for Haryana. He wrote to the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi on July 20, 1984 in which Mr. Bhajan Lal stressed upon four points for setting up the nuclear plant in the state. First, the site is near the border of Rajasthan and Punjab and as such could easily meet the requirements of these states as well. Second, there is no need to spent additional expenses on transmission system as the necessary system was already available. Third, it was a safe distance from the international borders, assuring security to the plant. Fourth, no need to remove population from the area. Mr. Bhajan Lal said that the site. The site in Hisar district (now in Fatehabad), had all basic requirements for the location of such a plant.
Prof. Sampat said that Mr. Bhajan lal again wrote to the then Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, reiterating his demand for a nuclear power plant in the state, which, he said, was facing an acute shortage of power. He argued that since site for nuclear plants had already been identified in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab had hydroelectric resources, therefore, the nuclear plant should be set up in Haryana as village Kumahriyan is fulfilling all necessary conditions for this.
Prof. Sampat informed that, in 1987, Mr. Devi Lal as Chief Minister wrote to then Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi on November 23, 1987, and urged for early sanction of the nuclear plant in the State. Haryana is a power deficit state, there is no hydro project so it should be set up in Kumahriyan where land and water resources were available.
When Mr. Bhajan again becomes Chief Minister, he wrote to the then Prime Minister Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao on July 16, 1993, reiterating his demand for atomic plant at the site where the Union Government had now sanctioned the plant.
Prof. Sampat said that in year 2006 and later in 2007 the Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda raised this issue again the demanded for the nuclear power plant. Have the ancestor leaders of INLD and HJC were sense less that they are repeatedly demanded this plant when remain in power. Such leaders were having long political experience and they were far intelligent than present leaders of INLD and HJC, he claimed.
While taking a dig on leaders of INLD and HJC, Prof. Sampat said that these leaders to leave making statements about following the policies and completing the pending works of their ancestors as they were insulting their ancestor leaders by making such statements. Leaders of both opposition parties are opposing for nuclear plant inspite the fact that they are doing complete politics in the name of their ancestor leaders.
In reply to yet another question, Prof. Sampat Singh there are some political parties which do not want to see development in the state. Electricity is one of the most essential components of development. About 100 kilomentre area of NCR in Haryana would be developed as industry and trade circle by year 2020, where business, employment, revenue and service sector would be promoted in a big way. Earlier, 60 per cent GDP of state was depending on agriculture sector. Today this figure goes upto 82 per cent which clearly indicates that Haryana is moving in right direction in terms of development.
On being asked to comment on the land acquisition, Prof. Sampat said that about 1500-1600 acres of land is being acquired for proposed nuclear power plant. Minimum floor rates have been revised from Rs.12 lakh per acre to Rs.20 lakh per acre. He said that compensation of Rs.34 lakh per acre would be given to land owners. He said that 95 per cent land owners were ready to give land for this prestigious project. Five cent families are opposing due to mislead by some political parties.