A State-level conference was conducted at Kanyakumari near here on Thursday to demand the immediate closure of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP), which, the participants said, threatened the right to life and livelihood of the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Prominent scientists, engineers, physicians, journalists, political leaders and social activists participated in the day-long conference. In the forenoon session, experts spoke about the various aspects of KKNPP and the overall dangers and risks of nuclear power.
M.G. Devasahayam, former IAS officer, presided over the session.
In the afternoon session, political leaders spoke about the environmental impact of the Kudankulam plant, the threats posed by nuclear power plants to natural resources and the future generations.
MDMK leader Nanjil Sampath and others from various political outfits participated in this session.
While S. P. Udayakumar, Co-ordinator of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) presided over the afternoon session, Mano Thangaraj, Co-ordinator of the political wing of PMANE, delivered the inaugural address.
The Central government must scrap the KKNPP that had given rise to serious fears and concerns among the people of Tamil Nadu. As a first step, authorities must recover the Uranium fuel rods from the KKNPP project site immediately. Although people were fighting against the KKNPP all over the State without caste and religious considerations, the Central government tried to create fissures among the struggling people and this conference condemned such devious measures vehemently, Mr. Devasahayam said.
The participants said the Congress in the state should start working for the well-being of the people.
The conference urged the Central Government to provide adequate power from the central pool to Tamil Nadu, grant the requested funds and help generate power from non-nuclear sources.
