indian government last week managed to sign up the indo-usa nuclear deal in which india will get nuclear technology from america for the purpose of putting nuclear power generators.

hurray..what a deal. a deal that will generate tens of thousands of megawatts thereby erasing the track record of poor power generation (less than 3000 mw perhaps) in face of huge amounts of money poured.

wareahwah...what a deal. a deal that will make elite of urban india a nuclear elite so that american nuclear technology companies which has been rejected lock, stock and bareel will have a fresh market to sell their wares.

super-o-super...what a deal. a deal that will make each and every indian -urban elite indian that is- proud when the fact is that local marginalised communities of india where the nuclear power will be hazardous for their lives and livelihood.

the upcoming koodamkulam nuclear plant in south tamilnadu offers a grim remainder of the things to come for the rest of india where tens (and perhaps hundreds) of nuclear power is being proposed.

zero environmental impact assessment, bulldozed public hearings, local communities treated worst than dogs, hundreds of crores being pumped into power stations whose deadline keep on extended and much more are being played out in koddamkulam, south tamilnadu.

and the worst thing is that all the above is being done in name of 'development' of india. the very development that has to benefit the lower sections of the society is being turned upside down with the sole objective of achieving more comfort of the elite.