Support in Kerala buoys Tamil Nadu's anti-nuke agitators

CHENNAI: Support from Kerala villagers, who successfully drove out nuclear plants when they were proposed in the late 1980s, has prompted anti-nuclear agitators in Kudankulam to issue another ultimatum to the central and state governments.

The rainbow of civil groups, workers' associations and religious organisations that are leading the protest against the soon-to-be-commissioned 2,000mw nuclear power plant have warned of another agitation on October 9, if the Centre does not halt work on the project by then. Interestingly, political parties are yet to be actively involved with the villagers' demand. "There has been no response from the Centre on the Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolution to halt work at the project. We are giving the Centre a week to act on the resolution, failing which we will go on another agitation on October 9. We also want the state government to follow up with the Centre on its resolution to halt the project," M Pushparayan, convenor of the Coastal People's Federation, told ET.

Over the weekend, anti-nuclear activists from Peringome and Kothamangalam, two villages in Kerala that had successfully opposed the establishment of nuclear plants there in the 1980s and early 1990s, carried out a rally all the way from Peringome near Kannur in north Kerala to Kudankulam. A number of other organisations from Kerala have also joined issue with the nuclear plant in Kudankulam, including the National Fish Workers Federation, the Kerala Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation and the National Alliance for People's Movement.

"At least four southern districts of Kerala are in equal danger of a catastrophe if something goes wrong at Kudankulam. We are going to petition all 140 MLAs in Kerala and demand a statement from the chief minister regarding the matter. We want Kudankulam plant scrapped," T Peter, president of KSMTF, said.