People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy has started a campaign pressing for shutting down of the first and second units in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, giving up of the India-based Neutrino Observatory in Theni district and the proposed nuclear waste research centre near Madurai.
Its convenor S.P. Udhayakumar, along with 10 others, including four women, on Friday started a campaign on train pressing for “nuclear evil-free Tamil Nadu” from Nagercoil to Chennai, via Coimbatore and Karaikkal.
The volunteers have been distributing pamphlets among the passengers at platforms in all railway stations.
Talking to reporters at Madurai Railway junction, Mr. Udhayakumar said that the political leaders of Tamil Nadu were more concerned about their personal interests and hence putting the lives of people of Tamil Nadu in risk by allowing the Centre to continue with the nuclear power project and the INO project.
The pamphlet said that KKNPP had the dubious distinction of having shut down 24 times ever since the first unit was commissioned 18 months ago. “The plant has substandard equipment and spare parts. Even the Secretary, Department of Atomic Engery, Ratan Kumar Sinha had admitted that certain spare parts were removed from the KKNPP turbine and were being newly manufactured,” Mr. Udhayakumar said.
Stating that the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, while recently talking about the power production for Tamil Nadu did not make a mention of Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam and KKNPP, Mr. Udhayakumar said that those plants were not contributing to the power needs of the State.
“If this is the situation, the leaders of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam should explain the need for the third and fourth units at KKNPP,” he said. He said he would meet the people of the State during the Assembly election campaign.
