Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko on Wednesday urged the State government not to give Pollution Control Board clearance for the ₹1,1450-crore Indian Neutrino Project, proposed to be established at Pottipuram near Thevaram in the district as it would destroy environment and all livelihood activities of the farmers in Theni and nearby districts.
Talking to media persons, he alleged that the Centre had expedited the process of setting up the project lab in Ambrappar hill at Pottipuram. Mr. Modi advised his secretaries to expedite the project because the US had been pressing it to implement it quickly to start research activities, Mr. Vaiko said.
If they conducted research on artificial neutrinos, it would be used to operate nuclear warheads. Then Tamil Nadu would be the prime target for rival nations as neutrino rays could be used to intercept and destroy nuclear missiles and activate weapons also. The Ambrappar hill would also be used to dump nuclear waste, he alleged.
The State government should not yield to the pressure of the Centre and should reject any proposal for the PCB clearance of this project.
Five districts would become a desert on implementation of the project. Creating job opportunity through INO project was also a myth as it would create jobs only for scientists and researchers in and outside the country, Mr. Vaiko said.
To commission the project, 11 lakh tonnes of rocks would be removed from the hill. It would use 1,000 tonnes of gelatine sticks to break rocks, posing a grave threat to 12 major dams in two States.
Around 12 lakh litres of water was needed to run the lab a day. Water would be lifted from Periyar river creating an acute water shortage for irrigation, he added.
Sundara Rajan of Pooulagu Nanbargal said that a survey report stated that 37% of earthquakes was due to dams and 27% due to mines. Any threat to these dams would turn Theni district into a seismic-prone zone, he cautioned.
In Chinnamanur, BJP cadres showed black flag condemning the purpose of his visit to the district. Eight BJP party men were arrested.
Later, Mr. Vaiko campaigned against project at Pannaipuram, Uthamapalayam,
Thevaram, Pottipuram, Sillamarthupatti and Bodi.
