Leader of the anti-nuclear plant project, S P Udaykumar, while boycotting the meeting with Central government-appointed experts, said that his group had lost faith in the Central government and would now only hold meetings with state government officials. Ganesh Nadar reports from Tirunelveli.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd has postponed the expected date of commissioning of the first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant to next month
When dealing with risky technology, it is most important to take people into confidence and tell them what the real risks are, says environment justice activist Nityanand Jayaraman.
The People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, leading the protest against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, on Saturday threatened to sue the Prime Minister's Office for linking the stir to foreign funding.
After giving a green signal to the Koodankulam nuclear power plant, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday demanded that the entire 2000 MW power to be generated by its two units be given to the state in view of the "severe power shortage."
Amid demands for scrapping the Koodankulam nuclear power project, a top atomic scientist on Saturday vouched for its safety, saying all types of exigencies including a Fukushima-type mishap have been factored in.
Unhappy with the lack of seriousness being accorded to voices against the nuclear plant, the protestors have been touring the southern-most districts of the state to spread the word.
Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar visits Idinthakarai, the site of hunger strikes opposing the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant at Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, and tells us how the high-voltage agitation met a rather tame end.
Stepping up their protest against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant, agitators on Thursday staged a roadblock in front of the plant site, preventing entry of scientists and workers into the complex.
Dr Suresh Moses Lee, who was one of the members of the panel of experts constituted by the Centre to examine the reactors of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, talks to rediff.com's Shobha Warrier about the safety aspects of the controversial plant.
Upset over the prolonged delay in the commissioning of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Russia on Wednesday said it should "start working now" and there should be a "movement" to start the plant. "The machines have to start working now because after several weeks, you will have to spend much more time and money to maintain them. You will pay for nothing. They will be idle but you have to pay for their maintenance," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin said.
Construction work at the controversial Koodankulam nuclear power plant has been stopped but essential maintenance activities are underway, Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office V Narayanasamy said on Thursday.
The committees set up by the Centre and Tamil Nadu government to resolve the standoff over the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant met in Tirunelveli on Tuesday for the first time when representatives of the protesters presented a charter of demands including a paper on plant's status.
Former president A P J Abdul Kalam has submitted a 39-page report to the Central government and the government of Tamil Nadu that recommends ten steps for ensuring the safety and development of the Koodankulam nuclear plant and its surrounding areas.
A day after the Tamil Nadu government gave its go ahead to the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, work at the Indo-Russian project started in full swing with officials expressing hope that the first unit would be commissioned "as soon as possible."
'We are restricting the media because of the difficulties we are facing with the media. The public have been visiting the plant regularly,' says R S Sundar, site director at the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu. 'The public is knowledgeable. They ask as many questions as journalists. We have faced tough questions from them, clarified their doubts and convinced them.'
'Not a single person I spoke to there believes that the Kundalkulam plant is safe.'
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told her that the stir against the Koodankulam nuclear power project would hit the state's development, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday said that her government would respect the sentiments of locals on the controversial project. "As for as the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project is concerned, the Tamil Nadu government will certainly act after respecting the local peoples' sentiments," she said.
What is in store for the Koodankulam nuclear power plants, asks S P Udayakumar.
Reviving their protests against the commissioning of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, activists of People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy on Monday said they would go ahead with their indefinite fast from Tuesday.
As the protest against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu continued to gather momentum with over 20,000 people staging a relay fast on Wednesday, the state government invited representatives of the core group spearheading the stir for talks.
Breaking the brief truce, more than 7,000 people on Sunday observed a token fast against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant and vowed to intensify the struggle if the government did not scrap it.
The People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, which is spearheading the stir against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power plant, on Friday rejected as "baseless" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks that foreign NGOs are behind its protest. "It is unfortunate that the prime minister has made the allegations without any documentary proof. We strongly deny his observation that the agitation is being funded by other countries," PMANE convener S P Udayakumar told reporters.
With the standoff over the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant issue continuing, top atomic scientists will meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday to discuss ways and means to allay the fears of the locals who are insisting on scrapping the project.
A tense situation prevailed as over 1,000 anti nuclear protesters made a vain bid to lay a siege to the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, protesting against the proposed loading of fuel.
The first unit of the Koodankulam nuclear power project is expected to start generating electricity in the next 40 days, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said on Monday. He said the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board officials were at the Koodankulam project site and inspecting the plant.
The four-member committee set up by Tamil Nadu Government on the safety aspects of Koodankulam nuclear power plant on Tuesday submitted its report to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa amid indication that it has given a clean chit to the controversial project stalled by protests.
Villagers of Idinthakarai in Tamil Nadu are on a relay fast since the last one week protesting the construction of the nuclear power project in neighbouring Koodankulam. Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar spoke to the man heading the protest, S P Udaykumar.
The anti-Koodankulam nuclear power plant activists on Wednesday demanded that Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam withdraw support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and stand by their cause,as they continued their stir demanding scrapping of the project.
A German national was picked up by the Tamil Nadu police in Nagercoil for allegedly assisting the protests against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant and deported from the country in the wee hours of Tuesday.
An uneasy calm prevailed at nearby Koodankulam on Sunday with anti-nuclear protesters bracing for a showdown with authorities, protesting against the loading of fuel at the controversial nuclear plant.
The week-long protest against Koodankulam nuclear power plant was suspended for two days on Sunday in view of the civic polls in Tamil Nadu even as the stir has left over 100 staff members stranded inside the main project complex.
The Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project has been jinxed ever since it was thought of. It was first talked about in 1988 when the Soviet Union agreed to build a plant in India and also supply it fuel. The Soviet Union broke up soon after. Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar spoke with Swapnesh Kumar Malhotra.
Anti- Koodankulam nuclear power project leaders held a massive protest meeting opposite the Palayamcottai bus stand in Tirunelveli. Thousands turned up to show their solidarity with this small band of determined activists. Ganesh Nadar reports.
Giving a thumbs up to the Koodankulam nuclear power project, former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Sunday said he is "fully satisfied" with the safety measures incorporated in the mega power project.
The Madurai regional passport officer has claimed that anti-nuclear power plant activist S P Udayakumar may flee the country as there are 98 criminal cases against him. A Ganesh Nadar reports
Amid concerns over the Koodankulam nuclear power project, the National Disaster Management Authority has said safety measures at all atomic plants in the country were in place but admitted earthquakes at these sites cannot be completely ruled out.
An anti-nuclear forum spearheading the stir against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant on Monday said they would withdraw their protest if most locals favoured the project and demanded that the state government constituted panel visit all villages and towns affected by KNPP. "We hope the team comes to our villages, talks to our people, respects their feelings and takes a decision after considering the sentiments of the people."
'...If the power situation does not improve in Tamil Nadu. The Congress will not allow the plant to start.' As the Supreme Court clears the decks for commissioning the controversial Koodankulam nuclear plant, A Ganesh Nadar checks the mood in the villages, the epi-centre of the protests.
Protesters on Thursday formally ended their 12-day fast against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, a day after the Tamil Nadu government promised to pass a resolution at the Cabinet for halting the project.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances