Kudankulam: In a major relief to stranded employees of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, villagers protesting against the project have temporarily called off their agitation for smooth conduct of the civic polls on Monday.
The locals have, over the last four days, blocked all entry points to the Kudankulam complex, thus hampering the supply and resultant shortage of essential commodities. They have also warned against resumption of work at the plant. Thus, close to a thousand people including families of engineers and scientists continue to remain confined to their residential quarters.
The authorities, though, have managed to send food and essential supplies inside the Kudankulam plant complex, albeit for just around 100 people - engineers and scientists involved in essential maintenance at the plant.
"With the help of police, essential items were sent to families in the complex and to workers inside," a senior official of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said.
"Provisions for the canteen and change of clothes for our employees were also sent."
Meanwhile, the condition of around 900 contract workers inside the plant still remains grim. They have been instructed to not venture outside the plant. Hundreds of them, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, have already started quitting the place because of the blockade, and an unspoken social boycott of them by the locals working at the site.
Despite the temporary withdrawal of the blockade, locals have threatened to launch an indefinite relay hunger strike from Tuesday.
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 locals have, over the last four days, blocked all entry points to the Kudankulam complex, thus hampering the supply and resultant shortage of essential commodities. They have also warned against resumption of work at the plant. Thus, close to a thousand people including families of engineers and scientists continue to remain confined to their residential quarters.
The authorities, though, have managed to send food and essential supplies inside the Kudankulam plant complex, albeit for just around 100 people - engineers and scientists involved in essential maintenance at the plant.
"With the help of police, essential items were sent to families in the complex and to workers inside," a senior official of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said.
"Provisions for the canteen and change of clothes for our employees were also sent."
Meanwhile, the condition of around 900 contract workers inside the plant still remains grim. They have been instructed to not venture outside the plant. Hundreds of them, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, have already started quitting the place because of the blockade, and an unspoken social boycott of them by the locals working at the site.
Despite the temporary withdrawal of the blockade, locals have threatened to launch an indefinite relay hunger strike from Tuesday.
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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