Kudankulam:
The Tamil Nadu police is expected to soon arrest the man who has led the campaign against Tamil Nadu's new nuclear plant at Kudankulam.
Dr SP Udhayakumar is on an indefinite hunger strike at village of at Idinthakarai, which has for seven months been the epicenter of the villagers and fishermen who say the Kudankulam plant is not safe. Scientists and engineers have entered the plant, escorted by the police, to get to work. The Tamil Nadu government cleared the project yesterday, after initially trying to block it.
Those who live near the project remain worried about their safety and refer often to last year's disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. "People within 30km radius of the Kudankulam plant have not been given any disaster training," Mr Udhayakumar said. "Without doing this, they cannot load the nuclear fuel....the Central Government and the State Government would be held liable for this criminal activity if they decide to load the fuel rods without preparing the people," he added.
5000 villagers were protesting near Kudankulam today, despite the fact that more than 180 people were arrested last night, including 15 activists. They have been charged with sedition and waging war against the country.
In September, the state cabinet had passed a resolution demanding that the Prime Minister order a halt of operations at Kudankulam till those living in the area were convinced that they are not at risk. Dr Manmohan Singh then deputed experts and ministers to assess the plant and answer the questions of villagers. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had also commissioned her own panel of experts to study the plant. Her clearance for the project yesterday came right after an important by-election in the Tirunelveli district, where the plant is located. In an attempt to pacify the area, she announced a 500 crore package to improve roads and infra-structure in the area
Dr Srikumar Banerjee, the Chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission said today, "The nuclear community has learnt a lesson from this agitation...and that (we) need a much better connect with local people." He said that activists and villagers should be rest assured that the safety standards for the nuclear plant meet international standards. "A clear cut disaster management exists for the plant," he said.
The nuclear power project, worth Rs. 13,000 crores and being set up with assistance from Russia, will upon completion have six reactors, making this will India's largest power-generating complex. A pair of two 1,000 megawatt reactors will kickstart production.
The protestors, mostly fishermen from three districts, are worried that the seaside plant may damage the ecosystem with nuclear waste and ruin their livelihoods.
The Prime Minister's recent remarks that protests against Kudankulam were possibly receiving foreign funding provoked much anger among NGOs.