Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant suffers from 'serious issues': Anti-nuclear activists tell Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Kudankulam nuclear power plant suffers from lack of safety measures and is plagued by several other "serious issues" and must not be commissioned till they are resolved, anti-nuclear activists told the Supreme Court today.

Appearing before a bench of justices K S Radhakrishanan and Deepak Misra, they submitted that the safety measures recommended by Atomic Energy Regulation Board (AERB) have not been put in place and government agencies have not determined till date the site for storing spent nuclear fuel.

"It is clear that KKNPP suffers from several serious issues that need to be resolved before the plant can be commissioned. Lakhs of people living in vicinity of the plant are bound to be apprehensive in such a situation.

"Instead of dealing with these issues and addressing the concerns in a meaningful way, the government has launched a wave of repression and has slapped 8000 sedition cases against peaceful protesters," said advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners.

He said the government has not complied with the statutory guidelines framed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) regarding nuclear safety and pleaded with the apex court to restrain the Centre from commissioning the plant.

The bench, however, refused to pass any order and asked the petitioners to implead NDMA.

The petitioners' counsel also questioned the Centre's decision of exempting Russian reactor manufacturer firm from liability in case of accident due to defect in the reactor.