Mr. Pandey said, “That there has been no violence so far is a unique feature of this movement and the credit goes to the fisherfolk of Tirunelveli. The government must withdraw all false cases and release two of the activists still in jail, Satish Kumar and Muhilan.”

Magsaysay awardee opposes KKNPP http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3433480.ece 19 May 12   Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay award winner and a convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movements, said on Friday that Indian nuclear scientists were dealing with an unknown technology in the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) and that it should not be commissioned hastily as it was against the people’s interest.

Talking to presspersons here, Mr Pandey said the agreement signed with
Russia to set the KKNPP predated the Indo-US nuclear deal and hence
was done outside the internationally accepted non-proliferation
regime. At the plant, scientists of Department of Atomic Energy were
dealing with an unknown technology and had to rely on Croatian
scientists to carry out inspections.

Even in the case of an accident, the Indian scientists would have to
wait for Russians or Croatians to come and tell them how to handle the
situation.

Keeping agitating villagers in the dark about the implications of
setting up a nuclear power plant in their neighbourhood was a human
rights violation, he argued. Instead of treating people with the
respect they deserved in a democracy, they had been charged with
sedition and waging war against the State.

Urging the State government to withdraw the cases slapped on the
people agitating against the commissioning of the plant at Kudankulam,

Mr. Pandey said, “That there has been no violence so far is a unique feature of this movement and the credit goes to the fisherfolk of Tirunelveli. The government must withdraw all false cases and release two of the activists still in jail, Satish Kumar and Muhilan.”

The fact is that the Indian nuclear programme itself is backed up heavily by the US and foreign corporates (like Atomsroyexport) and US companies are salivating over deals with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.”

Protest in Britain over Kudankulam nuclear plant http://ibnlive.in.com/news/protest-in-britain-over-kudankulam-nuclear-plant/259242-62-128.html IBN Tamil Nadu  19, 2012 London: Anti-nuclear and rights group on Friday held a noisy demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission here in protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant being built in a tsunami-prone area of Tamil Nadu.

Protesters held a large red banner proclaiming “No More Chernobyls! No
more Fukushimas! No Nuclear Power Plant in Kudankulam.”
The protesters, representing South Asian, anti-nuclear and human
rights group such as South Asia Solidarity Group, Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament (CND), South West Against Nuclear, demanded that the
Kudankulam nuclear power plant be halted for urgent safety reasons.
They claimed support from five British MPs and one British Member of
the European Parliament who have signed a letter addressed to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh which will be handed over to the High
Commission.
The protesters pointed out that at a time when Germany, France, Italy
and Japan are turning away from nuclear power because of its inherent
and terrible dangers, India is not only not decommissioning existing
nuclear plants but setting up new ones with no consideration for the
safety of its people.
They claimed the construction violated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety guidelines as Kudankulam is in a tsunami and earthquake prone region which has also experienced small volcanic eruptions and is affected by water shortages.
They also claimed it was in violation of the mandatory requirement for construction of fresh water reservoirs which are essential in case of a nuclear accident.

The demonstrators demanded that IAEA safety guidelines on safety be met, mandatory reports, reviews and other information on safety be made available to the public and media.
They also demanded that sedition and “war against the state” cases and other charges filed against members of Kudankulam People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy be withdrawn and Section 144 be lifted from the region.
One of the organisers of the protest, Amrit Wilson from South Asia
Solidarity Group said: “The local people opposing the Kudankulam power
plant have been accused of being backed by foreign money. This is
absurd. People like ourselves, acting in solidarity, have no sources
of funds.
The fact is that the Indian nuclear programme itself is backed up heavily by the US and foreign corporates (like Atomsroyexport) and US companies are salivating over deals with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.”

In a message, Caroline Lucas, MP said, “I am deeply worried about the
situation in Kudankulam – both in terms of the nuclear plant and the
treatment of local opponents – and very much hope that the Indian
authorities will take notice of today’s important protest in London.”
Keith Taylor, MEP said: “People have a right to protest against the
construction of this nuclear power plant and I am concerned at the way
they’re being treated.”
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/protest-in-britain-over-kudankulam-nuclear-plant/259242-62-128.html

Scrap nuclear power programme, demands Lok Sabha MP Business Standard, Press Trust of India / New Delhi May 17, 2012,

“I demand that the government should stop the nuclear power programme because it can affect our farm productivity, environment and people,” Tarun Mandal said during Zero Hour. He pointed out that radiation can be spread through water used in the atomic power plants which can badly hit crops, environment and people of the country. Mandal suggested that the government should harness other sources of
energy like hydro-power to meet power demand….. http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/scrap-nuclear-power-programme-demands-lok-sabha-mp/9901/

Priority is to remove irrational fears about radiation: Ratan Kumar Sinha Interview with Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission Business Standard, Sanjay Jog / Mumbai May 10, 2012,

His appointment comes at a time when India’s nuclear sector is facing challenges. Sinha, in an interview with Sanjay Jog, speaks on a number of issues. Edited excerpts:
What are your priorities?

The first is to remove an irrational fear of radiation in the public mind….. We would educate the public and try to remove the unwarranted fear of radiation associated with nuclear plants.

Indefinite hunger strike against KKNPP gains momentum Chennai Online Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, May 4 :

Nearly 500 women from the coastal hamlets around KKNPP joined the fast with 24 activists who were observing the fast-unto-death stir since May 1 last. The anti-nuclear protesters, including women and children, were assembling in large numbers in the protest venue. Talking to newsmen, M Pushparayan, a key activist of PMANE, claimed though morenumber of women activists were willing to join the fast, they were being prevented and intimidated by the police.

The women from different villages had enrolled their names to participate in the indefinite fast but did not visit the venue due to possible police harassment, he said. “Police have blocked the entrance of the villages and threaten the hired vehicle drivers not to transport people to Idinthakarai village. Even if they dared, police threaten them to cancel their vehicle licenses. So, the drivers are not willing to come to Idinthakarai.

The police have deployed anti-riot vehicles Vajra and Varun at the entrances of the villages,” he said. Meanwhile, health condition of the 25 activists who were on fast since May 1, had started deteriorating and their pulse rates were going down. One of the activists, Vinoth was admitted to the hospital today, he added.
http://news.chennaionline.com/chennai/Indefinite-hunger-strike-against-KKNPP-gains-momentum/ff5dcb87-d243-4704-8109-783bb9458db3.col

The installation and erection process of the plant has been insured with the company for the past seven years, company officials said and would continue till the commissioning of the plant.

“After the commissioning of the plant, which is expected to happen in a few months, the coverage would only be for the cold zone, outside the reactor area and would not include the reactor region, known as the hot zone,” said PK Mahapatra, deputy general manager, United India Insurance. About 60 per cent of the risk has been reinsured with Swiss
Re.

Indefinite fast against Kudankulam nuclear plant resumes NDTV Indo-Asian News Service   May 01, 2012 Chennai:

While 14 indefinite fasters are in Idinthakarai village, eight are in Kuthenkazi village and one each in Kudankulam and Kuduthazhai villages.

According to M Pushparayan, a PMANE leader, more women have proposed to join the indefinite fast protest based on the outcome of a scheduled meeting with the Tamil Nadu government on May 3….. http://www.ndtv.com/article/south/indefinite-fast-against-kudankulam-nuclear-plant-resumes-204888

PMANE resumes anti-nuclear protests against Kudankulam Project

“Our primary demand is the government should institute an independent and transparent national committee on hydrology, geology, oceanography and seismology of the region,” PMANE leader M Pushparayan told PTI at nearby Idinthakarai.

Their other demands include conducting disaster management and
evacuation exercises in areas around KKNPP falling within a 30 km
radius, sharing a copy of the Indo-Russian Inter-governmental
agreement in 2008 on nuclear liability.

“The government should also release all anti-nuclear peace activists
from prison unconditionally and withdraw all false charges against our
people,” he said.

PMANE had earlier threatened to go on indefinite fast from May 1
alleging that district officials had not kept their promises made last
month, including withdrawal of “false” cases against some activists.

A 12-member PMANE team led by Arimavalavan had yesterday held talks
with the Collector and highlighted their demands.

PMANE co-ordinator SP Udayakumar and his supporters had on Mar 28
withdrawn their nine-day-long indefinite fast after a delegation led
by the Collector agreed to look into their demands. They launched the
indefinite fast after the state cabinet on March 19 gave its go-ahead
for commissioning of the first of the two reactors.

Make public safety reports of Kudankulam nuclear project: CIC DNA, May 1, 2012

The Commission also directed the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to publish safety analysis reports, site evaluation reports and environmental impact assessment reports prepared by the Department, before setting up any nuclear plant, within 30 days of receiving them as part of mandatory disclosure clause of the RTI Act.

The transparency panel, however, allowed the Corporation to sever
portions which could be exempted from disclosure under the provisions
of the RTI Act but only after recording reasons and exemption clauses
and publish the reports after severing the parts claimed to be exempt.

“There should be a declaration on the website about the parts that
have been severed, and the reasons for claiming exemptions as per the
provisions of the RTI Act,” Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi
has held.

Hearing the plea of activist SP Udayakumar, who sought the copies of
Safety Analysis Report, Site Evaluation Report and Environment Impact
Assessment report, for reactor I and II of the plant, Gandhi said the
disclosure of the reports would provide a comprehensive perspective to
the citizens about holistic understanding of the KKNP Project
including environment, health and safety concerns…….
The Nuclear Power Corporation had objected to the disclosure citing
exemption clauses section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act which allow it to
withold information related to security, strategic and scientific
interests of the State and section 8 (1)(d) as disclosure could
comprised commercial confidence.

Gandhi said officials could not explain how disclosure would come
under these exemption provisions.

Udayakumar argued that such a disclosure would serve larger public
interest and cited examples of USA, UK and Canada where the reports of
the same nature were classified as public documents in order to ensure
public debate.

Agreeing with the view, Gandhi said “where world wide, site evaluation
and safety analysis reports of nuclear power plants and installations
are being put in public domain to elicit public views, India can have
no reason to treat its citizens differently.”

“If the Government has reasons to ignore the reports, these should
logically be put before people. Otherwise, citizens would believe that
the Government’s decisions are arbitrary or corrupt. Such a trust
deficit would never be in the interest of the nation,” he said.

Gandhi said any nuclear installation or site must be designed in a way
to account for any unforeseen accidents and natural hazards.

“This is the basic purpose of a safety evaluation and citizens have a
right to know what safety assessment has been of the KKNP Project I &
II,” Gandhi said while ordering disclosure of the reports.

The Information Commissioner said site evaluation report not only
provides the technical basis of the safety analysis report, it
contains technical information useful for fulfilling the environmental
impact assessment for radiological hazards.

“Therefore, it follows that the site evaluation report forms an
important basis of the environmental impact assessment report as well.
This will enable the public to obtain a comprehensive understanding of
the likely environmental impact of the KKNP Project,” he said.

He said given the serious implications of the internal and external
safety factors relating to nuclear reactors there is a great public
interest in disclosing the safety evaluation report of the KKNP
Project. …. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_make-public-safety-reports-of-kudankulam-nuclear-project-cic_1683228