Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu: Villagers have temporarily called off their protest against the Kudankulam nuclear plant. This is a temporary withdrawal to ensure peaceful local body polls on Monday. However, the locals will launch an indefinite relay hunger strike from Tuesday.
The state government has asked that work at the Kudankulam plant remain suspended and protesters have warned of laying siege to Kudankulam plant if work resumes. All access roads to Koodankulam blocked for four days.
Currently, close to a thousand people including families of engineers and scientists have been holed up inside their quarters as anti-power plant protesters have blocked entry points to the Kudankulam nuclear plant complex. This has resulted in severe shortage of essential commodities as their supply has been hampered by a blockade by villagers.
The Kudankulam authorities have managed to send food and essential supplies inside the plant. But the supplies have been sent only to around hundred engineers and scientists doing essential maintenance. The plight of around 900 contract workers inside the plant still remain grim. Normal life inside the power plant complex, has been completely paralysed as protests entered its fourth day.
"We are under house arrest, without drinking water and even milk for children. Our stock of provisions is running out and we do not have vegetables," a housewife living inside the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) complained.
Contract workers have been instructed to not venture outside the plant. But in the meantime, hundreds of contract workers, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, have started quitting the place because of the blockade, and an unspoken social boycott of them by the locals working at the site.
Hundreds of locals from villages in and around the nuclear power plant are on a hunger strike demanding immediate scrapping of the nuclear power project. Villagers are citing security concerns following the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan triggered by the devastating earthquake that ravaged the nation early this year.
But the Centre has rejected the request for stoppage of work at the plant. It, instead, has assured that the plant - designed to generate more nuclear power than anywhere else in the country - meets international safety standards.
In fact, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has personally intervened in the matter, assuring locals of allaying all fears about the project. He has also written to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa twice, asking for her support for the power plant. (Read: PM's letter to Jayalalithaa on Kudankulam nuclear plant) But it hasn't met with the desired response. Ms Jayalalithaa has asked the Union Government to suspend operations at the nuclear plant till the villagers are convinced they are safe. "We will act respecting concerns of local people in the Kudankulam nuclear plant issue. I will be one among you in this issue", she had said.
The vexed project though has found a voice of support from former President A P J Abdul Kalam. One of the prominent pro-nuclear faces in the country, Mr Kalam batted for the plant saying that nuclear energy is clean energy.
"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 told reporters.
The first of the two reactors at the plant was originally scheduled to start functioning alter this month. The nuclear plant is being built for nearly Rs. 13,000 crore and is expected to help solve Tamil Nadu's considerable power problems.
The state government has asked that work at the Kudankulam plant remain suspended and protesters have warned of laying siege to Kudankulam plant if work resumes. All access roads to Koodankulam blocked for four days.
Currently, close to a thousand people including families of engineers and scientists have been holed up inside their quarters as anti-power plant protesters have blocked entry points to the Kudankulam nuclear plant complex. This has resulted in severe shortage of essential commodities as their supply has been hampered by a blockade by villagers.
The Kudankulam authorities have managed to send food and essential supplies inside the plant. But the supplies have been sent only to around hundred engineers and scientists doing essential maintenance. The plight of around 900 contract workers inside the plant still remain grim. Normal life inside the power plant complex, has been completely paralysed as protests entered its fourth day.
"We are under house arrest, without drinking water and even milk for children. Our stock of provisions is running out and we do not have vegetables," a housewife living inside the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) complained.
Contract workers have been instructed to not venture outside the plant. But in the meantime, hundreds of contract workers, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, have started quitting the place because of the blockade, and an unspoken social boycott of them by the locals working at the site.
Hundreds of locals from villages in and around the nuclear power plant are on a hunger strike demanding immediate scrapping of the nuclear power project. Villagers are citing security concerns following the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan triggered by the devastating earthquake that ravaged the nation early this year.
But the Centre has rejected the request for stoppage of work at the plant. It, instead, has assured that the plant - designed to generate more nuclear power than anywhere else in the country - meets international safety standards.
In fact, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has personally intervened in the matter, assuring locals of allaying all fears about the project. He has also written to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa twice, asking for her support for the power plant. (Read: PM's letter to Jayalalithaa on Kudankulam nuclear plant) But it hasn't met with the desired response. Ms Jayalalithaa has asked the Union Government to suspend operations at the nuclear plant till the villagers are convinced they are safe. "We will act respecting concerns of local people in the Kudankulam nuclear plant issue. I will be one among you in this issue", she had said.
The vexed project though has found a voice of support from former President A P J Abdul Kalam. One of the prominent pro-nuclear faces in the country, Mr Kalam batted for the plant saying that nuclear energy is clean energy.
"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 told reporters.
The first of the two reactors at the plant was originally scheduled to start functioning alter this month. The nuclear plant is being built for nearly Rs. 13,000 crore and is expected to help solve Tamil Nadu's considerable power problems.
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