Italian nuclear dump protest

Thousands of demonstrators blocked a motorway between two towns in southern Italy today as they kept up their protest over government plans to put a nuclear dump in an area of farms and tourist resorts near the Gulf of Taranto.

The Italian Cabinet decided on Thursday to delay the plans for a proposed underground dump near Scanzano Jonico, 62 miles south of Bari, following widespread criticism from environmental groups and grass-roots protests.

A local bishop was among the marchers along the state highway linking Scanzano Jonico with another town near the sea, Policoro. Both towns are in Basilicata, a largely mountainous region with a small stretch of seacoast in the ”instep” of the boot-shaped peninsula.

Basilicata is one of Italy’s poorest regions, and many farmers contend that the dump would risk contaminating their water supplies or fields.

Demonstrators vowed to keep up the protests until the decree calling for the dump was rescinded.

Since the proposed dump was announced on November 14, residents have been blocking roads and train tracks with cars, tractors, cows and donkeys.

Such perishable goods as milk and bread have been running out in local stores because delivery trucks have been blocked by the protests, but residents appear willing to put up with the sacrifice to press their protest.

While Italy two decades ago voted to ban nuclear reactors for energy in the country, it has nuclear wastes from other uses, such as in medicine.