A preparatory meeting on conducting disaster management rehearsal at Parameswarapuram near Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project site on November 26 was held at the Collectorate on Saturday.
Chairing the meeting, Collector Sandeep Nanduri said the disaster management rehearsal was to be conducted at Parameswarapuram near KKNPP though the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, proponent of the prestigious project, had incorporated most-modern safety features in the 1,000 MWe reactors being built in the upcoming nuclear park with Russian assistance. The objective of the rehearsal was to minimise the radioactive effect possibly caused by the mishaps due to human error or natural calamities.
The rehearsal would include sounding of alarm following ‘mishaps’, safe and immediate evacuation of population from the nearby areas, distribution of iodine tablets through taskforces, administration of medical assistance etc.
“Two well-coordinated rehearsals have already been conducted in the villages situated about 1.60 Km, 5 Km and 16 Km from the KKNPP site. In this line, one more rehearsal will be organised at Parameswarapuram in which the government officials and the public will be involved,” Mr. Sandeep said.
The rehearsal will lucidly teach and train the villagers the things to be done meticulously in case of any onsite emergency in the KKNPP. Officials from the departments of public health, transport, police, revenue, village panchayat etc. will take part in the exercise to ascertain the official machinery’s reaction to the nuclear mishap, if any.
District Revenue Officer P. Muthuramalingam, Additional Superintendent of Police Udhayakumar, Scientific Officer of KKNPP Pandaram, Manager (Human Resources) Arunmaran, Quality Control Supervisor KKNPP, Ramesh participated in the meeting.
