Amidst Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithha’s move to hold the Centre responsible for the present state of affairs at the Kudankulam nuclear power project, the management of Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) has taken a decision to take it easy till the ongoing panchayati election process is over by October 21.
NPC management, which succeeded in sending a group of 100 scientists and engineers for the maintenance of the project, however, hopes that Kudankulam does not become a casualty of politics between the Union and Tamil Nadu government. NPC chairman and managing director SK Jain is camping in New Delhi, to update the the Prime Minister's Office on day-to-day developments at Kudankulam.
About 1,000 villagers sat on fast during 9 am and 5 pm near the plant. NPC senior officials are in constant touch with the state government and hope to send a team of another 100 scientists and engineers tonight to replace the team currently inside the plant. NPC official told Business Standard. “With the help of the state government we were able to send 100 employees into the plant and they will be brought out this evening.
Another team will be dispatched tonight. It is true that the balance 900 employees could not enter the plant today.” However, the official noted that the employees are quite hopeful that the situation would improve soon.
Pushpa Rayan, coordinator of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) said the villagers have received yet another boost after the Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday accused Centre for not doing enough to allay fears among the villagers.
“We have appreciated the Chief Minister's stand and reiterated our demand that the work at the project site be stopped immediately. Our view has been corroborated by the Chief Minister that Kudankulam was entirely a central government project and they only knew about the safety concerns involved." He informed that the relay fast would continue till the NPC stops work. He noted that the villagers are not in a mood to accept anything but the scrapping of the project.