PMANE resumes anti-nuclear protests against KNPP

TIRUNELVELI: Resuming their indefinite fast against commissioning of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy,which is spearheading the stir, listed six major demands, including setting up a national committee of experts to study the region around KNPP.

"Our primary demand is the government should institute an independent and transparent national committee on hydrology, geology, oceanography and seismology of the region," said PMANE leader M Pushparayan near Idinthakarai.

Their other demands include conducting disaster management and evacuation exercises in areas around KKNPP falling within a 30 km radius, sharing a copy of the Indo-Russian Inter-governmental agreement in 2008 on nuclear liability.

"The government should also release all anti-nuclear peace activists from prison unconditionally and withdraw all false charges against our people," he said.

PMANE had earlier threatened to go on indefinite fast from May 1, alleging that district officials had not kept their promises made last month, including withdrawal of "false" cases against some activists.

A 12-member PMANE team, led by Arimavalavan, had yesterday held talks with the Collector and highlighted their demands.

PMANE co-ordinator S P Udayakumar and his supporters had withdrawn their nine-day-long indefinite fast on March 28 after a delegation led by the Collector agreed to look into their demands. They launched the indefinite fast after the state cabinet gave its go-ahead on March 19 for commissioning of the first of the two reactors.