Anti-nuclear activist S P Udayakumar commences 'rail campaign'

CHENNAI: Anti-nuclear activist S P Udayakumar today launched his rail campaign "Nuclear-Free India" setting out on a train journey to Kashmir to create awareness among people about atomic dangers.

Udayakumar, Convenor People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), which has been spearheading protest against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, launched the campaign on board Himasagar Express bound for Jammu Tawi.

"PMANE activists and supporters are undertaking a few 'Train Yatras' crisscrossing the country to create awareness about the nuclear dangers. The first major Yatra would be from Kanyakumari to Kashmir," PMANE said in a statement here.

The second trip has been planned from Mumbai - Kolkata (West Bengal) - Guwahati (Assam) - Dimapur (Nagaland) - Dibrugarh (Assam) besides several state-wide yatras.

"Our supporters will be meeting us in several railway stations all through the journey and take our 'Nuclear-Free India' message to the people in their respective areas," it said.

Twenty campaigners, including seven women, are participating in the first train yatra.