Protesters resume indefinite fast

The government should institute an independent and transparent national committee on hydrology,geology,oceanography and seismology of the region, PMANE leader M Pushparayan told PTI in Idinthakarai.

Resuming their indefinite fast against commissioning of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project,Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy PMANE listed six major demands,including a national committee of experts to study the region around the plant.

The government should institute an independent and transparent national committee on hydrology,geology,oceanography and seismology of the region, PMANE leader M Pushparayan told PTI in Idinthakarai.

Other demands of PMANE which is spearheading the stir include conducting disaster management and evacuation exercises in areas around the nuclear power project site 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, Pushparayan said.

The group had earlier threatened to go on indefinite fast from May 1 alleging that district officials had not kept their promises made last month. A PMANE team had on Monday held talks with the Collector.

On March 28,PMANE coordinator S P Udayakumar and his supporters had withdrawn their nine-day fast after a delegation led by the Collector agreed to look into their demands.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

Senior CPM leader D Mani dies at 88

Four-time former CPM legislator D Mani died at a hospital here on Tuesday. The 88 year-old four-time former legislator had not been keeping well for some time,CPM state secretary G Ramakrishnan said.

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Mani was instrumental in forming trade unions for rubber and cashew workers in Kanyakumari district and had served prison terms,besides going underground for nearly six years,he said.

Mani represented Vilavankode constituency four times in the Tamil Nadu Assembly,Ramakrishnan said,adding the final rites of the deceased leader would be held at Kuzhithurai in Kanyakumari on May 2.