People’s Tribunal on the Safety, Viability and
Cost Efficiency of Nuclear Energy

Several human rights groups, scientists, activists and project affected groups from the Konkan region of Maharashtra have invited two retired Judges of the Indian Higher Judiciary, Justices A.P. Shah formerly of the Delhi High Court and Justice S.D. Pandit formerly of the Bombay High Court to head a People’s Tribunal on the Safety, Viability and Cost Efficiency of Nuclear Energy. This Tribunal will sit for three days in Mumbai between May 19-21, 2011 and record depositions of experts, scientists, doctors and project affected persons from the Konkan and other regions of the country. Officials and senior functionaries of the central and state government as also the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NMCIL) have also been invited to depose. The People’s Commission will consist of Justice A. P. Shah, former chief justice of Delhi High Court and Justice S. D. Pandit, a former judge of the Bombay High Court. In the context of the recent developments and people’s movement at the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant, the hearings of this Judicial Commission become even more significant.

The Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samiti, the Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti, Janhit Sewa Samiti, Madban, Lokshasan Andolan, Lokayat and Sabrang Trust in collaboration with the St Xavier’s College, Mumbai are jointly organizing this public hearing on the critical question of safety and cost efficacy (or otherwise) of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Power Plants.

The hearings before the commission will take place for 3 days from May 19-21, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the St. Xavier’s College in Bombay Dhobi Talav Mumbai – 2. Greenpeace Exhibition on the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster will also be on display during the three days of the People’s Tribunal.

Several experts from all over the country and abroad will depose before the Commission either in person or through electronic means. For three hours every day, project affected persons and experts from the Konkan region will also depose. Following the three day hearing in Mumbai, the two Judges panel are also likely to visit the villages in Ratnagiri district affected by the Jaitapur project and in recent months the scene of violence and repression by the local police. Even today fair entry of persons has not been allowed into the district. Enclosed is a list of some of the experts who have been invited to depose before the Commission.

Project affected personas and affected people from from Mithi Virdi (Gujarat), Fatehabad (Haryana), Chutka (Madhya Pradesh) Kovvada and Nalagoda (Andhra Pradesh) and Koodamkulam (Tamil Nadu) have also been invited to depose.