SC decision on Kudankulam plant "unfortunate": Achuthanandan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI(M) veteran and Kerala Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan today termed as "unfortunate" the dismissal of anti-nuclear campaigners' plea against commissioning of Kudankulam nuclear plant.

Achuthanandan, who has often taken a sharply different approach on the nuclear issue from his party's official line, said the Supreme Court's nod for commissioning the plant had come at a time when serious doubts were being raised by experts about the safety of the Russian-made reactors installed at Kudankulam.

"Apprehensions are prevailing among the people of Kudankulam about the safety of the plant and the apex court's nod to commission the facility against this backdrop is unfortunate," the former chief minister said in a statement here.

"There have been reports that parts of the machinery are defective and sub-standard. Some nuclear experts have openly contended that the reactors are unsafe. Against this backdrop, commissioning of the plant would only heighten the fear of the people in the area," Achuthanandan said.

Striking a sharply different note from his party's line of not opposing nuclear plants as such, Achuthanandan had often argued against building nuclear energy facilities holding that they posed a grim danger to humanity.

Besides pledging support to the anti-nuclear campaign at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, he had last year set out to visit the spot but was stopped on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

The party central leadership, however, took a strong stand against the octogenarian leader by censuring him on the issue.