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Apr 08, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government is to raise the issue of the risk faced by the country from the nuclear plants in the South Indian coast in close proximity to Sri Lanka at the next International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sessions.
Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka is to raise concerns over the South Indian nuclear plants when the IAEA sessions are held in September this year.
Ranawaka told ColomboPage that the issue about the South Indian nuclear plants was raised at the last IAEA sessions and that a request was made for the Agency to intervene in a disaster mitigating programme.
The Minister said the IAEA had proposed that a mutual agreement on the matter should be reached between the two countries.
"We have sent a proposal to India through the External Affairs Ministry and the Indians have sent back a note on the matter," he said.
According to Ranawaka, the Indian government has sent a proposal to commence a broad based discussion while Sri Lanka wants only to discuss and reach an agreement on a disaster mitigating programme in the event of a nuclear disaster in the South Indian plants.
Sri Lanka has no nuclear power plant but India has set up several nuclear power plants in South Indian states. Sri Lanka is just 20 kilometers away from Indian main land at the closest point.
There are three nuclear plants in South India and it was recently decided to expand the Koodankulam nuclear plant in India's Southern coast, just 250 km from Sri Lanka's northwest coastal town of Mannar.
When completed the Koodankulam plant will produce 4.5 GW of power making it one of the world's largest nuclear plants.
In the event of a nuclear disaster in a South Indian plant, Sri Lanka would be in the direct path of the impact range and the disaster would wreak havoc in the tiny island.
Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident.
Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka to raise Indian nuclear plant issue at IAEA sessions
Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka is to raise concerns over the South Indian nuclear plants when the IAEA sessions are held in September this year.
Ranawaka told ColomboPage that the issue about the South Indian nuclear plants was raised at the last IAEA sessions and that a request was made for the Agency to intervene in a disaster mitigating programme.
The Minister said the IAEA had proposed that a mutual agreement on the matter should be reached between the two countries.
"We have sent a proposal to India through the External Affairs Ministry and the Indians have sent back a note on the matter," he said.
According to Ranawaka, the Indian government has sent a proposal to commence a broad based discussion while Sri Lanka wants only to discuss and reach an agreement on a disaster mitigating programme in the event of a nuclear disaster in the South Indian plants.
Sri Lanka has no nuclear power plant but India has set up several nuclear power plants in South Indian states. Sri Lanka is just 20 kilometers away from Indian main land at the closest point.
There are three nuclear plants in South India and it was recently decided to expand the Koodankulam nuclear plant in India's Southern coast, just 250 km from Sri Lanka's northwest coastal town of Mannar.
When completed the Koodankulam plant will produce 4.5 GW of power making it one of the world's largest nuclear plants.
In the event of a nuclear disaster in a South Indian plant, Sri Lanka would be in the direct path of the impact range and the disaster would wreak havoc in the tiny island.
Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident.
Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka to raise Indian nuclear plant issue at IAEA sessions
