Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the division bench was hearing a petition filed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy and others, who had approached the court challenging the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) that approved the establishment of the plants.
The petitioners’ lawyer had asserted that the safety precautions to be adopted by the authorities were still unclear, which was a matter of concern given the threat posed by the reactors to the people of Karachi. He further argued that the EIA report had been issued without complying with the provisions laid out in the environmental laws, since no public hearing had been held regarding the suitability of the site.
However, Anwar Mansoor Khan, the counsel for PAEC, submitted that the commission was exempted from holding public hearings regarding the site under Section 12(3) of the Environmental Protection Act of 1997. He said that the selected location was in close proximity to the existing nuclear power plant, adding that a new site had not been picked for the planned plants.
Khan claimed that other countries were also using ACP-1000 nuclear reactors to generate electricity. He further said that the PAEC could not place certain facts on record due to the sensitivity of the project and for strategic reasons.
According to Khan, the work had only commenced after adherence to all technical and legal prerequisites. He pleaded to the court to vacate its stay order, saying that the order was causing massive financial losses to the PAEC.
The bench adjourned the hearing after Khan concluded his arguments, asking the petitioners’ lawyer to make his case at the next hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2014.
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Nuclear energy is the most efficient and reliable source of large-scale, around-the-clock electricity, meaning it is available on the grid at all times. Nuclear energy plants maintain an average reliability of 85-90 percent. No other electricity source can match this level of reliability. Pakistan establishment should go for this source instead of making hurdles in development and progress.
We should fund nuclear energy research now – or tomorrow we may not be able to turn the lights on. So what are the alternatives? There are many. Wind – but it has to be windy; solar – but it has to be sunny; hydroelectric – but you have to have water. While many of these energy technologies are good short-to-medium-term solutions and often the perfect local solution, what about the longer term? What about the global energy problem? What about nuclear? Until we develop new technologies, nuclear power is currently the best alternative.
Is this only a matter of public hearing or design? Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and all related nuclear authorities have been developed with a notion to take care of all nuclear affairs of the country. They are categorically more specialized and have more command in nuclear domain than anyone else. It is their sole responsibility to best utilize the nuclear assets of the country for the benefits of its own nationals. We are all very aware of this that Pakistan is not the first country who is going to use civilian nuclear energy. ACP 1000 is not at all aimed for any kind of adventure or an experiment in fact it’s not new as its been portrayed. Nuclear has appeared to be as an efficient credible source of energy which is environmental friendly too. These petitions or delays actually are instrumental in keeping the Pakistani to bear the shadows of energy crisis further nothing more than this.
I wonder why people creating hurdles if government is serious in eliminating power crisis. We know nuclear power is not 100% safe but most of the developed states are highly dependent on nuclear power. There are many states that are further expending nuclear energy programs. PAEC has successfully operated nuclear power plants for more than 40 years. It has gone carried out mechanized site evaluations and assessed environmental impact reports. It has later been approved by PNRA. Yet, handful people are creating trouble by generating fears among common masses.