Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Centre’s proposal to explore a nuclear power plant in Goa has sparked a political storm, with opposition parties slamming the move as reckless and hazardous to the state’s ecological and social fabric. Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar, who chaired a power sector review meeting in Panaji on Monday, revealed that the government is considering setting up a nuclear facility in Goa, subject to a feasibility study.
“We have discussed setting up a nuclear power plant in Goa if the feasibility permits,” Khattar stated, adding that the Centre has already encouraged other states to explore nuclear-based energy options.
The announcement was met with fierce opposition from the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP). GPCC President Amit Patkar condemned the proposal, calling it “a direct attack on our land, livelihoods, and legacy.”
In a strongly worded statement, Patkar said the plan reveals the BJP’s “utter disregard” for Goa’s ecology, economy, and public safety. He warned that the state’s fragile environment, lack of infrastructure, and disaster-response capacity make it entirely unfit for such a high-risk facility. “Goa is not a dumping ground for the BJP’s dangerous experiments,” Patkar said. “
This ill-conceived nuclear plant plan threatens to destroy what generations of Goans have preserved. We will resist it with full force.”
Patkar also criticized the viability of nuclear power in today’s energy landscape, calling it “expensive, toxic, and outdated.” He accused the BJP of pursuing politically motivated decisions that jeopardize Goa’s autonomy and future while ignoring cleaner, safer renewable energy alternatives.
Echoing this sentiment, RGP President Manoj Parab launched a scathing attack on the government’s vision for Goa. In a pointed social media post, Parab wrote: “BJP’s masterplan for Goa: Water to Karnataka, Land to Delhikars, Air to a NUCLEAR PLANT. Wow! What’s next—selling our beaches to Biharis? ‘Develop’ Goa till nothing’s left!” The comment, though satirical, reflects a deepening anxiety among locals about the erosion of Goa’s natural and cultural heritage in the name of development.
While the state government has yet to issue an official response, sources suggest that no formal proposal has been approved and that the feasibility study remains a preliminary step. Nevertheless, the backlash indicates that any forward movement on the proposal could face strong resistance from opposition parties, environmental groups, and sections of civil society.
As tensions mount, the debate over nuclear energy in Goa is quickly becoming a flashpoint — not only about energy policy but about the broader questions of governance, environmental responsibility, and the right of Goans to determine their own future.
