PMANE spent over Rs 17 lakh for anti KKNPP protests

CHENNAI: Activists protesting against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant today said their People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy ( PMANE) has collected over Rs 25 lakh locally to fuel their agitation and denied receiving any foreign funds.

"Between August 14 last year and February 28, we have collected Rs 25,17,991 and spent Rs 17,64,238," Stanly, one of their 30-member finance committee of PMANE, told PTI.

Denying any foreign funds in the protests, he said, "We have used only this money collected from locals, fishermen and beedi rolling women."

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram had stated in Delhi yesterday that cases have been filed against four NGOs after it was found prima facie that they were involved in diversion of foreign funds from the purpose for which they were received.

He said the CBI has been asked to register cases against four of the two NGOs while the other two have been left to Tamil Nadu Police.

Stanly said every households in the area donated Rs 200 each, while fishermen in that vicinity donated 10 per cent of the total earnings from their catch.

Meanwhile, the protests against the controversial Indo-Russian nuclear project will enter the 200th day tomorrow.

"Our people are relying only on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister... We are returning with high hopes," S P Udayakumar, spearheading the protests had said after meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday.

Jayalalithaa is yet to take a decision on the issue after the four-member state committee submitted its report on February 28.