KARACHI: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) will participate as co-petitioners in a case against the establishment of two Chinese nuclear reactors to be built in Karachi.
Both the organisations announced the decision at a press conference that was addressed by physicist Dr Abdul Hameed Nayyar, Piler advocacy officer Farhat Fatima and PFF head Mohammad Ali Shah.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nayyar said the case was filed after the government announcement to build two 1,100-megawatt nuclear reactors, K-1 and K-2, near Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (Kanupp) complex.
He said that the government planned building two more 1,100-megawatt nuclear reactors, K-4 and K-5, within five to six years, which, he said, was alarming because its impact on the environment had not been properly assessed and the mandatory public hearing of the assessment had not been held.
He said an EIA report for the project had been submitted by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
Subsequently, a petition was filed in the Sindh High Court by Dr Nayyar and others including, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Pervez Hoodbhoy and Arif Belgaumi, on Oct 16. In its response to the petition, the court on Nov 26 extended a stay on the construction of the Chinese reactors till Dec 5. The order came after the PAEC failed to comply with the Environment Protection Act, said the petitioners, adding that the EIA report was “not made public and the mandatory public hearing was not held either”.
Dr Nayyar pointed out that the Kanupp was built 40 years ago on a design that was relevant and proper according to the times, as there was no population in the surrounding areas. At present, it is not proper for the kind of project that is being initiated as there are residential areas around, which will get affected by any disaster.
For the past 40 years, he argued, no scientific research had been carried out on the site and its possible impact on the environment, as the site itself is “based on a fault line causing earthquake, cyclone or tsunami”.
He said the Chinese corporation was willing to pay Rs6 billion out of its total cost of Rs10 billion, as the remaining Rs4 billion would be paid by the government of Pakistan.
