Halt work, allay fears: Multi-party team
People's activists want the Kudankulam nuclear power plant shut down completely; Tamil Nadu's politicians have the less ambitious aim of halting work on the project until the fears of local people are allayed. The plant was originally scheduled to begin operations later this month.
The two groups submitted separate memoranda to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their 40-minute meeting with him on Friday. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Srikumar Banerjee, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Minister of State in the PMO V. Narayanasamy were present.
The multi-party delegation led by Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam included MLAs and MPs from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi and the Communist Party of India. While it asked that project activities be stopped until concerns are resolved, an MP who attended the meeting said that Dr. Singh indicated that maintenance work would have to continue.
CPI national secretary and MP D. Raja submitted a separate memorandum urging the government to come out with a clear Nuclear Power Policy dealing with the issues of long-term storage and disposal of nuclear waste. He also wanted a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) done, and an expert investigative committee to discuss the problems with all stakeholders.
The citizens' delegation included political activists and church leaders who have been helping to coordinate the local struggle in Kudankulam. Their memorandum demanded that the project be abandoned.
They pointed out that 1.2 million people live within 30 km of the plant — including 33,000 within the 5-km sterilisation zone — making it difficult to evacuate the population in case of a nuclear disaster.
No public hearing yet
The activists said that the EIA had never been made available in Tamil or Malayalam, and no public hearing was held, as per the norms for a green clearance. They alleged that the government was unwilling to share the safety analysis report of the plant, citing the “proprietary nature of the information” of the Russian corporation building the plant, in response to an RTI request.
“Is an Indian life cheaper than the profits you will get from the Russians, or the Americans or the French?” asked S.P. Udhaya Kumar, convener of the People's Movement against Atomic Power.
He slammed the inter-governmental agreement between India and Russia which could let the Russians off the hook insofar as liability requirements are concerned.
Impact on fishing
Activists said the coolant water and low-grade waste that the plant would dump in the sea would have a disastrous impact on the fishing industry. “What will a fisherman do with the plot of land that you give him as compensation if it is 50 km inland,” asked the Roman Catholic Bishop of Tuticorin, Yvon Ambroise, who was part of the delegation.
Protest tomorrow
The activists intend going ahead with a one-day hunger strike in the village of Idinthakarai in Tirunelveli district on October 9 to highlight their demands.
I come from a place near the koodangulam project. The fear of this project is not about us; it's about the environment,about the community life of the people living here and the safety of the future generation.Any project that is done with a short term benefit is only going to be disastrous.COME VISIT US and say if u want to put our life at stake.Let's vote for a healthier INDIA..Besides the electricity produced in this area is not for our benefit,its for the benefit of millions of tamilians living outside our district -we are self sufficient in power production .WE DEFINETLY DON'T WANT TO BE SCAPEGOATS FOR SOMEONE ELSE!!!
Shocking to read that EIA report is still not available in Tamil or Malayalam languages. This is not the place for central government's language politics. How are they going to handle Nuclear waste. Even Europe, Japan and USA are investing heavily on Wind and Solar power. European countries have wind farms in the middle of the sea of the coast. There is no proper means of safety. Just few months back, large amount of impersonation fraud occurred in Koodankulam. The protests against the nuclear plants are justified.
Harikrishnan Tulsidas - Why dont you request the Central Government to put the plant nearby your house. Why you want to grow your child at the cost of the lives of 35 million people living nearby areas. The activist are not in destructive mission - they are in the constructive mission of saving the nature and the livlihood of peoples. Just for your information the near by area is already generating a lot of renewable energy to the nation and its the district which produces the largest wind mill power in India. Think on People safety first .. then on Growth.
I wish Mr Tulsidas educated himself more thoroughly on the dangers of nuclear power. It is the children of Fukushima who are suffering the most with thyroid cancers and heart attacks from the failed nuclear reactors in Japan. IN REALITY our children will be left with decomissioning costs and deadly nuclear waste by they time they are to retire as these plants have to be shut down with age! The costs of nuclear power plants is in billions of dollars with uranium costing crores of rupees. Germany and Euorpean countries will move ahead with Free Sun and Wind Fuel whilst we will be stuck with Huge bills in loans, maintenance and never ending costs of isolating the deadly radio-active wastes. The US France and Japan (all high nuclear powered countries) are DEAD BROKE, AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT because of their nuclear power plants nver ending costs. There is 21st century safe solar/wind technology The wind and sun are FREE!
Safety of the local people should be considered but if Nuclear plants are shut what about the development and energy demands of the country?
Nuclear energy has the ability to change the future of India, from a country of 400 million poor with out access to electricity, to one with a equitable and vibrant growth. This has happened in South Korea and is on the making in Vietnam. The children of India deserve a better future where their ambitions could be fulfilled and a basic quality of living ensured. Instead of supporting a rapid increase of nuclear electricity, a small group of politicians and religious leaders are falling into the trap of anti-nuclear groups. The anti-nuclear groups are employed by forces who would like to see continued under-development of India. It serves their masters well to see India as a consuming nation, rather than a competitive producer of goods. If the people of Kudankulam aspire a better future for their children, they should drive out this vile group out, as was done in many places around the world. Will someone stand up to this mendacious force?
These activists are always on a destructive mission. Neither they understand the importance of Nuclear Plants nor they are true sympathizer for poor. They want to hit the media headlines in competition with the politicians.
it is very disheartening to note that the Project of Kudangulam atomic snergy plant is being commissioned shortly,and the people living nearby safety was not taken into account while starting the project.It was feared, in case of any nuclear disaster, area around more than 100 sq kilometres will be greatly affected by the disaster and how the people"s living nearby safety was not taken into account.vvip like abudul kalam, and other scientist must clarify the position before the actual commencement of functioning now.
There shuould no politicial interefence with the lives of innocent life and all those living nearby are fishermen depending on fishing inthe nearby sea and where they go,incase alternative place given to them for their living? or another area nearby sea has to be allotted to them first and make them agree and before the commissioning of the nuclear plant. In this regards, state chief minister tamil Nadu must be consulted and get their confirmation. This is must.
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