Chennai:
The Tamil Nadu government discussed the Kudankulam crisis today after chief minister J Jayalalithaa convened a cabinet meeting. Today's meeting came at a time when Tamil Nadu is reeling under a severe power shortage and the Centre alleging that NGOs are receiving funds from the US for the protests.
In an interview to Science magazine last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said,"There are NGOs, often funded from the United States and the Scandinavian countries, which are not fully appreciative of the development challenges that our country faces. But we are a democracy, we are not like China. You know, for example, what's happening in Kudankulam The atomic energy program has got into difficulties because these NGOs, mostly I think based in the United States, don't appreciate the need for our country to increase the energy supply."
Activists, protesting against the nuclear plant in Kudankulam, have denied this and claim that the movement is funded by the public. They have also accused the government of being insensitive and deliberately resorting to power cuts to create resentment against protesting villagers.
Last year, the state Cabinet had passed a resolution asking for a halt in work at the upcoming Kudankulam nuclear plant till public fear is allayed. This after several thousand villagers took to the streets demanding shutdown of the plant following the Fukhushima tragedy.
However, the central government appointed expert committee had concluded that the plant to be safe and public fear unfounded. The committee had also has submitted its report.