People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) – Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has sent a memorandum to Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi demanding resumption of essential supplies, permission for free movement of citizens and withdrawal of police force in Idinthakarai and Kudankulam villages, to bring back normality.
In a press release, PUCL president V. Suresh said there was total breakdown of law and constitutional scheme in the villages of Idinthakarai, Kudankulam and neighbouring villages of Radhapuram taluk, pursuant to unprecedented and unprovoked action of the State government by moving in more than 5,000 armed policemen into the area since March 18.
Citing media reports, he said that all essential supplies such as drinking water, milk, vegetables, provisions and medical supplies had been stopped as a result of police blockade. Schoolchildren were prevented from appearing for Higher Secondary Board exams. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project has started functioning and there is no obstruction to the free entry and exit of employees, engineers and specialists into the plant.
The proclamation of orders under section 144 of Cr.P.C and the consequential police and state action of barricading the villages of Idinthakarai had disturbed public tranquillity thereby causing threat to human life, health and safety. Therefore, it should be revoked immediately to restore normality.
Tuticorin Staff Reporter writes:
The government should immediately relax prohibitory orders in Radhapuram taluk, Most Rev. Yvon Ambrose, Bishop of Tuticorin said here. In order to suppress the rights and privileges of people at Idinthakarai, who raised fears about the nuclear power plant and staged a series of protests against its operation, the government had promulgated the order, he said.
