Thaindian News

Chennai, Dec 8 (IANS) The civil society group protesting against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu Thursday said it saw no danger to its struggle in the wake of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s letter to the prime minister seeking additional developmental funds.

“Soon after she came to power, the chief minister had written a similar letter to the prime minister and there was no response to that. We feel she will support our protest as she keeps the feelings of the people at the forefront,” S.P. Udayakumar, coordinator of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), told IANS.

Jayalalithaa Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking for Rs.25,000 crore grant/loan and additional allotment of power from the central pool.

Kudankulam watchers are of the view that the state government might change its stance on the project if its requests for funds and other things are acceded to by the centre.

“That is one exit option for the state government. Further, no major political party in the state has spoken against the KNPP,” an official told IANS, preferring anonymity.

Interestingly, even Jayalalithaa had initially supported the project and urged the protesters to call off their agitation.

“We are not worried as to what the central or the state government would do. We want the government to listen to the people’s voice. People are agitating without losing faith,” remarked Udayakumar.

He said the chief minister, instead of begging and pleading with the central government, should concentrate on renewable sources of energy, adopt decentralised and demand-based generation schemes, and devise creative energy projects for the state.

He said there is good potential for putting up on-shore windmill projects in India and Tamil Nadu.

“India’s 7,500 km-long coast line should offer enormous potential. Some of the satellite studies of 868 locations globally indicate that Kudankulam and Rameswaram have high wind potential of greater than 9 metres per second which equals some of the European farms,” Udayakumar said.

However, the PMANE is upset at the comments of Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M. Kadakin that his country was planning to set up a total of eight reactors at Kudankulam.

“Keeping silent now is worse than suicide,” Udayakumar said.

There have been widespread protests against the two 1,000 MW nuclear power reactors that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd is building with Russian technology and equipment in Kudankulam, around 650 km from here.

The project cost is estimated to come up at Rs.13,171 crore.

Villagers fear for their lives and safety in case of any nuclear accident and the long-term impact it would have on the population.

Their agitation has put a stop to the project work, thereby delaying the commissioning of the first unit by several months.

Tamil Nadu government had passed a resolution asking the centre to put a stop to the work at the site till the people are convinced.

In order to allay the fears of the public, the central and the state governments had formed two separate committees. The state panel includes representatives of the PMANE.

Udayakumar said the anti-nuclear power plant activists will hold one-day fast here Friday.

Meanwhile, the relay protest fast at Idinthakarai near Kudankulam continued for the 52nd day Thursday.

–Indo-Asia News Service
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