Colombo: Sri Lanka has expressed concern over possible impact of radiation from India's nuclear power plants located in the southern region, as it prepares to raise the issue with global atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA.
The official raising of concern with the IAEA is to be made in September, Sri Lanka's Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka said.
"We respect the right of India to have nuclear power stations. But our concerns are on the possible radiation affects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter", Ranawaka said.
The minister also said that Sri Lanka's concerns stem from disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima and that the country would work towards achieving guarantees of safety.
Sri Lankan energy officials say at least three nuclear plants are located on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu which is separated from the island by a narrow strip of sea.
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 was quoted as saying by Colombo Page.
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, the paper said. Sri Lanka has no nuclear power plants but is just 20 kilometres away from Indian main land at the closest point.
The Kudankulam nuclear plant in India's Southern coast is just 250 km from Sri Lanka's northwest coastal town of Mannar. Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident.
The official raising of concern with the IAEA is to be made in September, Sri Lanka's Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka said.
"We respect the right of India to have nuclear power stations. But our concerns are on the possible radiation affects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter", Ranawaka said.
Sri Lankan energy officials say at least three nuclear plants are located on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu which is separated from the island by a narrow strip of sea.
Advertisement
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, the paper said. Sri Lanka has no nuclear power plants but is just 20 kilometres away from Indian main land at the closest point.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
1st India-Made Nuke Plant Runs In Full Capacity; Congratulations, Says PM North India's 1st Nuclear Power Plant To Come Up In Haryana: Minister 20 New Nuclear Power Plants To Be Commissioned By 2031, Parliament Informed Over 300 Indian Students Return Home As 105 Bangladeshis Die In Protests Bangladesh Imposes Curfew, Deploys Military As 105 Die In Protests "Jindal Group Executive Showed Porn, Groped Me On Flight": Woman To NDTV Global IT Chaos Persists, Flight Delays Expected Even Today: 10 Points Massive Global IT Crash Hits Airlines, Banks, Media: Live Updates "Stakes Are High, Choice Is Clear": Biden Vows To Stay In Presidential Race Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.