The Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) has demanded that the 2,000 megawatt power to be generated from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant should be allotted exclusively to Tamil Nadu for the first two years.
It has condemned the Central Government’s decision to allot only 925 MW power to the State, despite several appeals.
“We have received a letter from C.D.Chacko, under secretary, Power, stating that the entire power generated from Kudankulam plant cannot be allotted to our State. To sort out the power crisis (in the state), the Centre has to give preference and to Tamil Nadu in the first two years,” V.S.Manimaran, president, MADITSSIA, said in a press release in Madurai.
He said the association members had staged an agitation in this regard near Parliament House in New Delhi on December 11 last year.
“We went to the Prime Minister’s Office too and handed over a representation.” In an official communication to the association on April 16, the Department of Atomic Energy had conveyed through Mr.Chacko that the power to be generated from the Kudankulam plant had been allocated by the Ministry of Power among beneficiary States back in 2004 itself.
“As per the existing guidelines for allocation of power from Central Sector Generating Stations, the 2,000 MW (2X1,000 MW) power to be generated has been allocated,” he had said in the letter.
While Tamil Nadu will get 925 MW of power, Karnataka has been allotted 442 MW, Kerala 266 MW and Puducherry will be given 67 MW. The remaining 300 MW of power is in unallocated category.
“After discussions between the Union Power Minister and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the ministry agreed to consider providing additional 100 MW to Tamil Nadu from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant,” Mr.Chacko said in his communication to MADITSSIA.
