Govt seek Kalam's help as Kudankulam nuclear project stir continues

Keen on pacifying the agitators fasting for the closure of the 1000 MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, the UPA Government has roped in former president A P J Abdul Kalam to resolve the standoff.

Backed by the Church, thousands of villagers from the sea-side area of Kudankulam are on fast, intensifying their agitation for the closure of the nuke plant.

To allay the fears of the locals opposed to the project, Kalam, who is in favour of the project, would reportedly step in to ease tensions and make it conducive to meditation.

The eminent scientist told media that he plans to take a survey of the protesting Christian fishing community to identify areas of concern. In addition, Kalam also plans to hold discussions with the engineers and scientists involved in the project.

"I will visit all these reactors across coastal belts and personally hold discussions with the scientists about all aspects. It will take at least 10 days to visit and gather all information, after which a report will be made," he was quoted by PTI as saying.

Villagers have upped their ante against the power plant fearing a nuclear accident and its long term impact on the population.

Besides fear of being displaced and losing livelihood, the Church has cited the case of Fukushima in Japan where earthquake and tsunami put in danger the lives of people around the nuclear reactors.

The Church of South India expressed that the huge radioactive accumulations at the plant site could become the principal causes of environmental and health hazards.

The Protestant denomination suggested that the Central and State Governments hold a democratic and transparent national consultation on nuclear power projects in the country with proper assessment of economic, environmental and human cost of such expansion.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) also earlier called for decommissioning of the nuclear reactors.

Besides the Church, several NGOs and civil society groups have backed the protest.

The two 1,000 MW nuclear reactors built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) with Russian technology and equipment, is expected to go on stream this December. There are over 150 Russian scientists working at the nuke plant built at a cost of Rs 13171 crore.

Currently, about 2,000 villagers from Idinthakarai, Kudankulam and Avudaialpuram in Idinthakarai in Tirunelveli district are on fast since the last six days demanding the closure of the nuclear power project.

In an effort to pacific the agitators, the government last week announced the setting up of a 15-member group of experts to interact with locals in Kudankulam where the nuclear plants are in advanced stages of completion.

According to reports, the expert team have been drawn from various disciplines such as radiation safety, reactor safety, oncology, fisheries and nuclear waste management.