Rajkot: Thousands of farmers walked out from a public hearing in Nana Navagam organized by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) for the proposed 6000 MW nuclear power plant at Mithi Virdi in Bhavnagar district. The hearing was held on behalf of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) that will build the plant. The public hearing was held to discuss the environment impact assessment of the proposed plant prepared by Engineers India Limited (EIL). The nuclear plant is expected to have six light-water reactors. As soon as the NPCIL officials started their project presentation, about 4500 farmers from around 28 villages started protesting and demanded they be heard first. “When they refused to address our queries first, all the farmers walked out in protest,’’ a resident of Jasapara village Khengarsinh Gohil said. Environment activist Krishnakant said the hearing was conducted in an illegal manner and the issues raised by farmers were not heard. However, the GPCB officials claimed that the public hearing went off peacefully with some peaceful protest by farmers. “We have received 47 representations from people on the proposed plant,” GPCB’s regional officer A V Shah said. The plant is proposed to be built on more than 770 hectares of Jasparam Mandva and Khadpar villages. Farmers and anti nuclear activists are opposing the plant raising fears of destruction of fertile land and threats of radiation. TNN