Kolkata, Aug 22 (IANS) Expressing disappointment over the scrapping of a nuclear power project in West Bengal, leading physicist Bikash Sinha Monday said it would be unfortunate if the state did not have a single nuclear reactor "due to political issues".


"It is really sad that the nuclear project was scrapped due to political reasons as the present government from the very beginning has opposed the project. It would be really unfortunate if Bengal does not have nuclear power projects due to political issues," Sinha told IANS over phone.

The Trinamool Congress-led state government a few days back ruled out Hapripur in East Midnapore district as the site of a proposed nuclear power plant. Since its days as the state’s principal opposition, the Trinamool has opposed the project, saying it would trigger eviction of locals and harm the local ecology.

However, Sinha, who is a member of the scientific advisory board to the prime minister, said the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd was on lookout for sites in other parts of the state.

“The prime minister yesterday in his speech at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics has categorically mentioned that nuclear energy is a necessity. As far as I know, the Nuclear Power Corporation is on the lookout for other sites in the state to set up a project,” said Sinha.