Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comment on Kudankulam nuclear energy plant angers villagers

CHENNAI: Within hours of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreeing on an early commissioning of the nuclear power project in Kudankulam in south Tamil Nadu, protesting villagers vowed they would not agree to the plant's commissioning.

The protests against the project have surged across the three southern districts of Tamil Nadu - Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin - for more than 100 days, leaving the future of the 2,000mw plant in doubt.

"The PM's statement is outrageous. He is making such a statement in Russia even as we are engaged in dialogue here about the safety of the plant, and awaiting all the documents related to the plant's approval, is surprising," M Pushparayan, struggle committee member of the movement said.