The state government's efforts to bag the nuclear plant hit obstacles right from the start as it faced stiff opposition not only from environmentalists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but also from partners in the state coalition, who contended that the state was "too densely populated to have a nuclear power plant".

The experts committee set up by the government to recommend a site for the nuclear power plant is yet to come up with any suggestion after six months, as it is "divided over the suitability of West Bengal" for such a project. The committee has not met in six months.

According to sources, the fact that the government was not trying to ensure a decision from the committee suggested that it was waiting for the project to "die a quiet death". Most opponents of the power plant complained that being a densely populated state, West Bengal was not an ideal place to build a nuclear plant.

Though the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which heads the state's coalition government, stood its ground saying that the plant would be built, it is now believed to have washed its hands off the project due to the "many hindrances".Apart from West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa are in contention for the nuclear power plant. Experts see Orissa as having an advantage, with the sea on one side and vast stretches of fallow, uninhabited land.

The West Bengal government's efforts to build the plant in the state received the first jolt following a series of demonstrations by a group of scientists and NGOs who condemned nuclear power as the "dirtiest technology in the world". Then, opposition from coalition partner Revolutionary People's Party (RSP) caused the CPI-M further embarrassment and hampered its bid for the power plant.

RSP's state secretary and irrigation minister Debabrata Bandhopadhyay said his party could not support the CPI-M's campaign for the nuclear plant. Political observers believe that another reason for the government's apparent lack of interest in addressing the issue was the impending elections.

(India Abroad News Service)