Anti-KNPP protestors received foreign funds: Minister

CHENNAI: A special Home Ministry team has found that some organisations involved in the protests against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant had received funds to the tune of over Rs 55 crore from " foreign sources," Union Minister V Narayanasamy said today.

"The special team from the Union Home Ministry visited the areas around Koodankulam and checked the accounts of some organisations, which were involved in the Koodankulam protests. It found that money to the tune of Rs 54 crore for two oganisations and Rs 1.5 crore for another organisation have been received," he told reporters.

"Some of the NGOs received the money from foreign sources," the Minister of State in the PMO, said without elaborating.

Asked whether the money was used to further the anti-nuclear stir, he said, "The team has submitted the report to the Home Minister. Only after studying it, can we come to a conclusion".

Protests by locals raising concerns over the safety of the plant have delayed the commissiong work of unit 1 of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, which was scheduled for December last.

The Centre's efforts to allay fears through an expert group have failed even after three rounds of talks with the protestors.

The fourth round of talks between the central expert group and the state panel consisting representatives of protestors is scheduled for January 31 in Tirunelveli.