Pattali Makkal Katchi wants Kalpakkam nuclear plant to be shutdown

CHENNAI: After backing protests demanding scrapping of the Koodankulam nuclear power project, Pattali Makkal Katchi today demanded shutting down of the Kalpakkam nuclear plant,claiming it had witnessed accidents besides affecting local people.

"We would be sending a medical team soon to examine the effects on the local people.The government should come out with a white paper on the plant and the related fears expressed by local people," PMK chief S Ramadoss said.

He told reporters here he would lead the protests at Kalpakkam, 50 km from here, while his party would conduct awareness camps for local people.

"Impact of radiation on people must also be examined by an independent team of medical professionals.Government should make a policy announcement that no more nuclear plants or reactors would come up at Kalpakkam or anywhere else in the state," he said.

The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam should not be allowed to come into use and the plant should be completely shutdown by 2020, he said.

Ramadoss said most countries, including developed ones, such as Germany had decided to phase out nuclear plants in the respective countries.

To a question, he said former President APJ Abdul Kalam should not have visited Koodankulam power plant at all. Kalam had vouched for the safety of the plant.

He said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will have to take a stand due to the growing protests against Koodankulam power project at some point of time.

Jayalalithaa had initially explained the safety parameters in place but later put the onus of allaying fears of the agitating locals on the Centre.