nuclear-news

Vaiko, anti-nuclear activists detained during Kudankulam protest

Oct 29, 2012

Chennai: Hundreds of anti-nuclear activists and leaders of different political outfits were detained today when they attempted to lay siege to the State Assembly demanding scrapping of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

MDMK Leader Vaiko, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader and MP Thol Thirumavalavan, pro-Tamil leader P Nedumaran along with hundreds of activists and fishermen were detained by a heavy posse of police when they tried to take out a march towards the Secretariat.

Strongly opposing the Indo-Russian project, Vaiko alleged that India had secretly agreed to provide power to Sri Lanka from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

Vaiko. PTI

Thirumavalavan said not only Kudankulam, Kalpakkam and all nuclear power stations in the country should be closed. He said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa should not stand on prestige and instead make efforts to close the project.

To coincide with the Assembly-siege, anti-nuclear activists formed a human chain in the sea off Idinthakarai, the focal point of the year long stir in support of the demand.

S P Udhayakumar, convenor of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy spearheading the protest, told reporters at Idinthakarai that on October 31, their supporters would submit memoranda to various Embassies in New Delhi and Chennai highlighting the “need” to stop nuclear power plants.

Fishermen from 13 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu and nine in Kerala and Puducherry would join the protest on that day.

Udhayakumar claimed 25,000 people have joined the protest in Chennai and it was a big victory.

Commissioning of the first unit of the KNPP was originally scheduled for December last year but has been
delayed due to the protest.

PTI

http://www.firstpost.com/india/vaiko-anti-nuclear-activists-detained-during-kudankulam-protest-506713.html

Parties, activists protest nuclear plant at secretariat

Chennai, Oct 29 — Police Monday foiled an attempt by cadres of MDMK, VCK and anti-nuclear power plant activists to lay siege to the state secretariat by taking them into custody, police said.

According to police, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thirumavalavan and hundreds of their party cadres and members of anti-nuclear power groups took out a procession to the state secretariat to lay siege to it. They were demanding closure of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) being set up at Tirunelveli district around 650 km from here.

Members of political parties and anti-nuclear organisations assembled at the Raja Rathinam Stadium here and took out a procession when the police took them into custody.

A huge contingent of police was deployed enroute to prevent any untoward incident.

India’s atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is setting up two 1,000 MW atomic power plant at Kudankulam.

People of neighbouring village Idhithakarai are against the plant fearing for their lives after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan last year.

Meanwhile, villagers of Idhinthakarai held a human chain protest in the sea against the atomic plant and demanded withdrawal of cases filed against the protesters.

IANS 

Read more: http://india.nydailynews.com/business/e405ea1cabf78596d592df1f0876d0a9/parties-activists-protest-nuclear-plant-at-secretariat#ixzz2AmXYLKAB

October 30, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized