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Prohibitory orders slapped around Kudankulam plant
The anti-nuclear brigade, led by the Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), made a last ditch effort on Sunday to lay siege to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), 500 km away from Chennai, to prevent its commissioning. The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders around the plant on Sunday morning. A crowd of more than 1,000 volunteers marched towards the plant but a strong contingent of police including the Rapid Action Force prevented them from proceeding towards the site of the 1000 MW plant.
RS Sundar, director, KNPP, told The Pioneer that the pre-commissioning works were progressing as usual. “We understand that the agitators have been prevented by the police. Work is fast progressing here inside the plant. We are not affected by the agitation,” he said.
Dr RK Sinha, chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, had told that the loading of fuel rods would begin by mid-September. The anti-nuclear agitation has lost much of its steam following the Madras HC order last week giving green signal to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for commissioning the plant.
The district administration including the Superintendent of Police pleaded with the agitators to disperse and not to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Kudankulam. The PMANE led by SP Udaya Kumar and Pushparayan and supported by various factions of the Church want the Government to shut down the `17,000 crore Nuclear power plant built with Russian assistance.
Two committees of experts appointed by the Central and State Governments found the plant to be safe in all respects. The PMANE leaders had written a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa pleading with her to put a stop on all the works in KNPP. “We will continue our agitation till the CM listens to our request and call off the works in the plant,” Udayakumar said.
The anti-nuclear brigade, led by the Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), made a last ditch effort on Sunday to lay siege to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), 500 km away from Chennai, to prevent its commissioning. The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders around the plant on Sunday morning. A crowd of more than 1,000 volunteers marched towards the plant but a strong contingent of police including the Rapid Action Force prevented them from proceeding towards the site of the 1000 MW plant.
RS Sundar, director, KNPP, told The Pioneer that the pre-commissioning works were progressing as usual. “We understand that the agitators have been prevented by the police. Work is fast progressing here inside the plant. We are not affected by the agitation,” he said.
Dr RK Sinha, chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, had told that the loading of fuel rods would begin by mid-September. The anti-nuclear agitation has lost much of its steam following the Madras HC order last week giving green signal to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for commissioning the plant.
The district administration including the Superintendent of Police pleaded with the agitators to disperse and not to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Kudankulam. The PMANE led by SP Udaya Kumar and Pushparayan and supported by various factions of the Church want the Government to shut down the `17,000 crore Nuclear power plant built with Russian assistance.
Two committees of experts appointed by the Central and State Governments found the plant to be safe in all respects. The PMANE leaders had written a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa pleading with her to put a stop on all the works in KNPP. “We will continue our agitation till the CM listens to our request and call off the works in the plant,” Udayakumar said.
