Govt unprepared for nuclear disaster: Study

Govt unprepared for nuclear disaster: Study

JAKARTA (JP): Neither the public nor the government is
prepared for the consequences of a possible nuclear disaster at
the planned site of the nuclear plant on Central Java's Mount
Muria, a research study shows.

"We visited two major hospitals in Jepara and Semarang, only
to find that none of them had been informed on how to handle
victims of a nuclear accident," Leonard Simandjuntak, an activist
at the Pelangi Foundation said.

"Local government officials should be trained on how to cope
with a nuclear disaster because they will have to be responsible
for the evacuation of residents in case of emergency," he added.

According to recent studies conducted by the Pelangi
Foundation, a policy research non-governmental organization, the
high levels of radiation resulting from a disaster would kill
people living in the vast area of the Muria peninsula.

While presenting the results of the research, Simandjuntak
said the local government and the public possess very little
knowledge about nuclear plants.

The National Atomic Agency has not yet provided objective
information to the local public and government on every aspect of
the planned nuclear plants.

"They need honest information to decide if they want to stay
or move from the area when the government goes ahead with its
plan to build the plant," he said.

According to the foundation, the information that local
residents have obtained about the nuclear plant is biased,
because it was provided mostly by those who support the project.

Despite strong opposition from environmentalists, officials of
the State Ministry for Research and Technology have repeatedly
said the project will go ahead, although they agree that nuclear
power should be considered as the last option for energy sources.

A feasibility study is expected to be completed next month.
Director General for the National Atomic Agency Djali Ahimsa said
the controversial project will commence in 1998.

State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie said
during a recent hearing with members of the House of
Representatives that the 1,800 megawatt nuclear power plant is
expected to go into operation in 2003.

Critics say that Indonesia would be better off in developing
its abundant sources of energy -- such as geothermal and solar
energy -- instead of turning to expensive nuclear power to meet
its increasing energy demands.

The foundation has discovered that the emergency precaution
plan prepared by the National Atomic Agency is inadequate.

Simanjuntak said the plan should be overhauled with advise
being sought from other sources, such as academics,
environmentalists, hospitals and the police.

The existing infrastructure near the planned site --
consisting of roads, hospitals, communication facilities, housing
and transportation -- is far from adequate to cope with a
possible nuclear disaster.

In addition, he said radioactive materials are still lethal
for people who live 50 kilometers from the site, which includes
the heavily populated districts of Jepara, Demak, Pati and Kudus.

The level of radioactivity emitted from the nuclear power
plants, contaminating the air and water in the Muria peninsula,
could be several million times higher than National Atomic Agency
estimates, he added.

"There is no emergency plan for people living as far as 100
kilometers from the plant site in case of disaster. An accident
like the one in Chernobyl (in 1986) can happen there,"
Simanjuntak said. (16)