[sacw] India: Atomic Energy's Rare Earths Ltd extensively damaged in cyclone

[Harsh Kapoor]

=46YI
South Asians Against Nukes
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Press Trust of India Limited
23 December 1999

INDIA: Atomic Energy's Rare Earths Ltd extensively damaged in cyclone

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Indian Rare Earths Ltd, a unit under the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), suffered extensive damage at its plants
in Orissa Sands Complex (OSCOM) at Chhatrapur in the first cyclonic wave
that hit the state in October this year, the Upper House of the parliament
(Rajya Sabha) was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply, junior minister for DAE Vasundhara Raje said
production had to be stopped for one and a half months as asbestos roofing
and side cladding of all the plants and godowns were extensively damaged.

After detailed checking of electrical equipment, production was resumed on
December one, she said.

In all, four chimneys-three of the acid regeneration plant and one of the
synthetic rutile plant- were dislodged, three of the 17 power transmission
towers were uprooted and part of the ilmenite stock was blown off, she
said.

Power supply was restored on November 22 and restoration work was in full
swing, she said.

Plant sites: Nagarjuna Sagar and Kovvada in Srikakulam district of
Southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have been identified as possible
sites for further investigation for setting up nuclear power plants. There
was, however, no plan as yet to establish a nuclear power station in the
state, Raje said.

Kudankulam plant: The VVER-1000 nuclear power plant of Russian design,
under construction at Kudankulam in southern India's Tamil Nadu is fully
safe and government would ensure the plant has the latest design features
and meets international safety requirements, she said.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE) 23-12 1999 (c) 1999 PTI Ltd.