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India’s nuclear power safety problems are getting worse

Admitting problems, the federal Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has said there could be a delay in the two projects.
Meanwhile, the state government of West Bengal state has refused permission to a proposed 6000 MW facility near the town of Haripur that intended to host six Russian reactors. ..

 activists and experts have called for an audit by an independent body. They say that given the non-transparent nature of India’s state-controlled nuclear energy sector – there is no way to estimate whether safety issues will be carefully followed

India’s Rising Nuclear safety Concerns , Asia Sentinel, Siddharth Srivastava, 27 Oct 11, Concerns about safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs) are threateningIndia’s massive investment plans in the sector..

Post the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan populations around proposed Indian NPP sites have launched protests that are now finding resonance around the country, raising questions about atomic energy as a clean and safe alternative to fossil fuels. Continue reading →

October 28, 2011 Posted by | India, safety | Leave a comment

Support for India’s Kudankulam anti nuclear protestors

Kudankulam anti-nuclear team hopeful of support of local bodies, Economic Times, 28 OCT, 2011,  JOE A SCARIA,   CHENNAI: The anti-nuclear protests at Kudankulam entered the tenth day on Thursday, with leaders of the rainbow organisations demanding scrapping of the nuclear plant in the village hopeful that the newly-elected local body representatives will support their cause.

AIADMK had scored an emphatic win last week in the local body elections in Tamil Nadu. The nuclear plant at Kudankulam was an election issue across Kanyakumari, Nagercoil and Tirunelveli districts. The polls have also thrown up a number of independent candidates in panchayats like Idinthakarai, where the protests are being staged, and at Kudankulam. “We are speaking to the newly-elected local body representatives and they are in support of our demand,” convenor of the Coastal People’s Federation M Pushparayan, one of the organisations fighting for closure of the Indo-Russian joint ventureKudankulam Nuclear Power Project, told ET.
The Centre had set up a 15-member expert committee to study the issue, but protest leaders say they want a halt to the work at the plant before they can hold discussions with the expert committee.

Roughly 500 people are taking turns each day for the relay fast at Idinthikarai village, close to the Kudankulam nuclear power plant. Pushparayan said villagers from Koottapanai and Kuttuthalai were on fast on Thursday. Among the prominent persons visiting the site on Thursday was the Church of South India’s bishop for Tuticorin, JAD Jebachandran.

Protestors have also expressed disappointment over the composition of the expert committee. “We are not against the committee, but the fact is that the committee was set up without our knowledge and also without taking the state government into confidence,” Pushparayan said.

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet had passed a resolution demanding halt to work at the project, and J Jayalalithaa had assured her support to the local people during the local body poll campaign. .. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/kudankulam-anti-nuclear-team-hopeful-of-support-of-local-bodies/articleshow/10514024.cms

October 28, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | 2 Comments

Russian nuclear experts have left India’s Kudankulam nuclear project site

Russian team leaves Kudankulam site,THE HINDU 28 Oct 11A team of experts from Atomstroyexports, the Russian firm that supplies technology and the equipment for the 2 X 1,000 MWe nuclear reactors of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, who had camped at Kudankulam to inspect the quality of the work completed so far and witness the functioning of the equipment installed, have left the site. The Russians took this decision as they could not get permission to go to the KKNPP site from Anu Vijay Township, where they were staying in the wake of the ongoing protest against the nuclear power project…. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/article2574703.ece

October 28, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, India | Leave a comment

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting – behind the scenes, India lobbies for Australian uranium

India lobbies for Australian uranium, THE HINDU PRISCILLA JEBARAJ, 28 Oct 11 “……Informal, behind-the-scenes diplomacy is a key part of the CHOGM summits, and India seemed to be using the opportunity to lobby for a change in Australia’s uranium exports policy banning sales to India, which is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The issue reportedly came up at Mr. Ansari’s meeting with Australian Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott on Thursday. Mr. Abbott heads the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia, which favours allowing Australia — which has the world’s largest reserves of uranium — to export the mineral to India…..

Mr. Ansari is also likely to discuss the issue at his bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard later this week. The ruling Labour party is split on the issue, which is expected to be a subject of hot debate at the party conference this December. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd argued that India’s civil nuclear power programme was not dependent on Australian uranium.

“If you hear an argument from an Indian businessperson that the future of the nuclear industry in India depends exclusively on access to uranium, that is simply not sustainable as a proposition. Have a look at the data,” he said at a mining industry breakfast, according to a report by Australian news agency AAP. Both Indian officials and businessmen have been raising the issue on the sidelines of the CHOGM. “There is no problem in terms of global supply, let’s just be very, very blunt about this.”However, Resources Minister Martin Ferguson who supports uranium exports to India, said he was eager to debate the issue at the party conference, which could turn out to be pivotal for India’s hopes of accessing Australian uranium….http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2574653.ece

October 28, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

Work halted at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project as protest hunger strike continues

Anti-nuclear protesters’ relay fast enters day 6 at Kudankulam, Net Indian, United News of India, Tirunelveli, October 23, 2011 The third phase of relay hunger strike being observed by protesters against the Kudankulam Nuclear PowerProject (KKNPP) at Idinthakarai coastal hamlet in this district of Tamil Nadu entered the sixth day today.

Hundreds of people, including women, are observing the relay hunger strike in front of St Lourdes Church, demanding that the Centre scrap the project, fearing possible nuclear radiation leakage once the plant begins power production and their displacement from their native villages.

Due to the peoples’ stir, work on the Indo-Russianproject was affected for the 11th consecutive day as scientists and technocrats were not able to reach the site. http://netindian.in/news/2011/10/23/00016703/anti-nuclear-protesters-relay-fast-enters-day-6-kudankulam

October 24, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

India’s Environment Ministry refuses coastal clearance for Kudankulam nuclear reactors

Kudankulam plant hits coastal wall, Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times,New Delhi, October 17, 2011 An environment ministry committee has declined coastal clearance for new nuclear reactors at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, on the grounds of its impact on marine life and overall safety aspects. Coastal clearance is mandatory to operationalise environment clearances granted to four new reactors for generating 4,000 MW of power, in addition to existing two at Kudankulam in 2008 and 2009……

The committee was, however, not impressed with what the NPCIL said and sought documentary evidence for the same while declining to approve the project. “The documentary evidence shall be submitted in support of this statement, which has a wider ramification in the context of what is happening around the world on similar developments,” the EAC told NPCIL.

In another setback, the EAC rejected NPCIL’s proposal to construct an open channel for outfall of waste water taken from sea for the purpose of cooling the nuclear condensers.

The corporation had proposed that 12,000 cubic metres of water will be lifted from Indian Ocean for condenser cooling and discharged back into the sea. “Due to various environmental problems, including adverse impact on marine life, the present proposal is not acceptable,” the EAC said, while asking the corporation to consider a pipeline for disposal….http://www.hindustantimes.com/Kudankulam-plant-hits-coastal-wall/Article1-758467.aspx

October 18, 2011 Posted by | India, politics | Leave a comment

India’s National Nuclear Safety Authority Bill aims to hide nuclear information

The government also intends to amend the RTI law to exempt the proposed nuclear energy regulator – the National Nuclear Safety Authority – from the ambit of the transparency law….the bill seeks to amend the RTI law to prevent seeking of information on the grounds of “the larger public interest”..
New laws to get around Right To Information act, Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times New Delhi, October 17, 2011 India’s transparency law – the Right To Information Act – will not change but the government wants to restrict its applicability to some areas of sports and nuclear safety through other laws.

Two new draft laws – the National Sports Development Bill  and the National Nuclear Safety  Authority Bill – have specific provisions prohibiting disclosure of information in addition to the exemption clauses already in the RTI law Continue reading →

October 18, 2011 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

India’s Koodankulam anti nuclear protestors resume their campaign

Protest against nuclear power plant to resume on October 18 India Today Online Tirunelveli (TN), October 17, 2011 The protest against theKoodankulam Nuclear Power Plant would resume on Tuesday after the two-day suspension in view of the civic polls, one of the movements spearheading the stir demanding scrapping of the project on Monday said. The People’s Rights Protection Movement Coordinator Sivasubramanian said they would resume the indefinite fast by 106 people on Tuesday at Indinthakarai Village in the district.

The second phase of the protest which began on October 9 was suspended on Sunday for two days to enable the residents of villages in and around Koodankulamto exercise their franchise in the local body polls held on Monday…..

“If 1,500 women are sitting round-the-clock in dharna in a remote area… one should understand their strong feeling against the project,” he said The People’s Rights Protection Movement Coordinator Sivasubramanian said….  http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/protest-against-koodankulam-nuclear-power-plant-resume-october-18/1/155296.html

October 18, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Movement against India’s nuclear power program goes national

The writ petition mentions, “How under the pressure of foreign countries and the multi-billion dollar nuclear industry, the government has been pushing forward an expensive, unviable and dangerous nuclear power programme without proper safety assessment and without a thorough comparative cost-benefit analysis vis-a-vis other sources of energy, especially renewable sources.”

Country-wide protests against nuclear plants have escalated following the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

Humongous nuclear costs at the expense of exchequer  

Activists nationwide unite to battle UPA’s nuclear dreams,  Rediff, October 14, 2011, Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi Activists, experts and scientists across the country have come together to challenge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s dream project to double the nuclear energy-based power generation in the country,    A writ petition filed by eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan under Article 32 seeks appropriate writ for declaring Nuclear Liability Act, 2010, unconstitutional and to call for safety re-assessment and cost-benefit analysis of all nuclear facilities in India. The petitioners want the overhaul of the ‘dysfunctional’ regulatory system.

The petitioners comprise of distinguished personalities or organisations who have first time come together to challenge one of the biggest policy decisions of the United Progressive Alliance government. Continue reading →

October 15, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear, politics international | Leave a comment

Public interest litigation in India questions nuclear power program

Petition filed against nuclear liability Act, THE HINDU, J. VENKATESAN, 15 Oct 11,  Petitioners seek safety reassessment and cost-benefit analysis of all nuclear facilities  A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, that indemnifies nuclear manufacturers/suppliers and caps the financial liability of operators. Continue reading →

October 15, 2011 Posted by | India, Legal | Leave a comment

Chief Minister backs protest, as 10,000 activists block nuclear project site

Jayalalithaa plays safe as nuclear protesters pitch up   Oct 14, 2011,   By DNA Correspondent : Chennai   The agitation against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (KNPP) near Tirunelveli reached a feverish pitch on Thursday with over 10,000 activists laying siege to all the entry points to the project site. Over 700 scientists and technicians who reached KNPP for their morning shift could not enter the reactor premises, which brought the routine work to a grinding halt.

“The maintenance work was carried out by the staff on overnight duty who could not come out of the plant because of the road blockade,” a senior executive of KNPP told DNA.

This is for the first time in the country that work in a nuclear reactor was hit due to agitation by local residents.

The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) intensified its agitation within 12 hours of the prime minister’s letter to chief minister J Jayalalithaa asking her to help the Centre to implement the project as scheduled. However, Jayalalithaa on Thursday said her government would respect the sentiments of locals on the project. “I will be one among you in the issue,” she told a rally in Tuticorin for the civic polls.

Pushparayan, the second-in-command to Udaya Kumar, who heads PMANE, said the agitation would continue in a peaceful manner till the reactor was shut down. “Today (Thursday) morning’s road block is an indication that our agitation has entered a critical phase. We will not allow anyone to enter the KNPP premises,” Pushparayan said.

The road block which began at 8 am on the East Coast Road was shifted to vantage points near KNPP. “Ours is a Gandhian style agitation and we do not want to create any inconvenience to the people. But this will continue till the government orders closure of the plant. We do not want the nuclear reactors,” he added.

Even NK Balaji, project director, KNPP, could not enter the plant. “I was asked by the district administration to stay put in my house since the roads have been blocked,” he said. Both the Tirunelveli collector and superintendent of police were unavailable for comment. ..   http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_jayalalithaa-plays-safe-as-nuclear-protestors-pitch-up_1598475

October 14, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

The The Kudankulam anti nuclear protest is spreading through the region


Protests in Kerala against Kudankulam N-plant     THE PIONEER , 09 OCTOBER 2011  The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is not an issue confined to the Tamil Nadu boundaries anymore. Protests are fuming in Kerala also against the Central decision to go ahead with the project. Scientists and environmentalists are pointing out that Kerala is bound to suffer tragedies if any eventuality occurs at the nuclear plant.  Continue reading →

October 10, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

USA puts the pressure on India to buy US nuclear reactors

US puts onus on India for implementation of nuclear deal, Economic Times 9 OCT, 2011,  WASHINGTON: Putting the onus on India, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said the US has made clear the steps New Delhi needs to take “to allow us to move forward” on implementation of bilateral civilnuclear deal.

“We remain fully committed to expanding the civil nuclear cooperation with India and have made clear the steps that India needs to take to allow us to move forward,” she told PTI when asked if India’s nuclear liability bill was an irritant in the bilateral relations. …
India’s liability regime has been a bone of contention between it and many of its nuclear partners, including the US, which have expressed reservations about some aspects of the domestic law that they fear will impose huge penalty on foreign suppliers in case of nuclear accidents.

However, Indian officials have maintained that the law was in accordance with international standards but India was ready to allay any apprehension in this regard. …

Clinton emphasised Washington’s commitment on the issue by citing the recent Nuclear Safety Energy Summit in Mumbai, “where you saw a host of top-tier American companies working to expand our private engagement and investment in the civil nuclear sector.”..

October 10, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international, USA | Leave a comment

Koodankulam anti nuclear protest – 7.000 people fasting

the fast was only “a beginning of their long struggle” against nuclear power and it would be intensified if the KNPP was not scrapped. 

Over 7,000 people observe fast against nuclear project Economic Times, 9 Oct 11, TIRUNELVELI (TN): Breaking the brief truce, more than 7,000 people today observed a token fast against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant(KNPP) and vowed to intensify the struggle if the government did not scrap it.  The renewed protest comes two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured a multi-party delegation including the anti-KNPP activists that an expert group would be set up to allay their safety concerns.

Slamming Singh’s letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seeking her support to ensure timely implementation of the Indo-Russian project, protesters said it only showed the Centre was not concerned about the safety of people.  The fast at Idinthakarai near Koodankulam in the district was led by Co-ordinator of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy S P Udhayakumar, a member of the delegation that had met Singh.

Udhayakumar told reporters the fast was only “a beginning of their long struggle” against nuclear power and it would be intensified if the KNPP was not scrapped.
After meeting the Prime Minister, the activists had claimed it was their first victory. But now they are irked by Singh’s letter to Jayalalithaa seeking her help to complete KNPP.  Udhayakumar said the contents of the letter, dashed off on the same day when they met Singh, only showed that the “Centre is not concerned about the safety and security of the Tamils.”
Despite the state cabinet’s resolution for halting work on the project, the Centre had chosen to go ahead with it. “This is painful,” he said.  People, including fishermen, from 13 villages participated in the fast today. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/over-7000-people-observe-fast-against-nuclear-project/articleshow/10289655.cms

October 10, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Renewed protest against Koodankulam and Kalpakkam nuclear facilities

Anti-nuke activists protest against power plants in TN Indian Express 8 Oct 11, Over 300 anti-nuclear activists today staged a protest here against the Koodamkulam atomic power plant in Koodankulam even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a state delegation that he would depute a panel to address the safety concerns of local population.

The protestors, under the banner of People’s Coalition Against Nuclear Power Plants, also demanded that the Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam near here be gradually phased out.

“We want the Koodankulam project to be scrapped and the Kalpakkam plant to be gradually phased out. When the whole world is going for solar driven energy, why are we going behind nuclear which is not safe?” asked Convenor of the coalition S D Rajendran, who led the protest.

He wanted the government to make public how Kalpakkam nuclear plant was handling it effluents. “There are people including children who suffer from cancer in areas around Kalpakkam and the fish catch in the sea near the plant is dwindling,” Rajendran alleged. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/antinuke-activists-protest-against-power-plants-in-tn/857031/

October 8, 2011 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

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