Koodankulam Protesters Lay Siege To Thoothukudi Harbor
By Countercurrents.org
22 September, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Thousands of fishermen Saturday blocked the approach channel to the Thoothukudi Harbor with their boats to protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP).
Fishermen in more than 2,000 boats blocked the channel in the morning protesting against the nuclear reactor at Kudankulam.
At Idinthakarai village in Tirunelveli district, people formed a human chain protesting against the nuclear reactor.
"On Sep 25 we plan to hold a demonstration outside central government offices across the state. And on Sep 27, we have invited leaders of political parties and social organisations to Idinthakarai to participate in our protest," said S.P. Udayakumar, coordinator of PMANE.
India's atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is building two 1,000 MW reactors with Russian help at Kudankulam since 2001.
Villagers under the PMANE banner have opposed the project for the past one year, fearing for their safety, especially since the nuclear disaster at Fukushima in Japan March 2011.
The NPCIL has started loading the first reactor with enriched uranium fuel bundles numbering 163 in the first reactor following the nod given by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Tuesday.
Comments are moderated