Jaya green-flags Koodankulam nuclear plant

In an indication that the state government’s kid glove treatment of the protesters was also over,about 10 representatives of the protesters were arrested by local police in the morning,marking the first time the state authorities had taken any action against them.

However,villagers who have been leading the stir that blocked commissioning of the near-complete plant are not in a mood to relent. Leaders of the agitation,SP Udayakumar and M Pushparayan,have announced a fast unto death.

The Jayalalithaa government had given indication of moving in this direction,particularly with the state reeling under a severe power crisis. Senior officials had made several trips to Koodankulam and surrounding areas to assess the situation,while pro-nuclear experts,including former head of Atomic Energy Commission M R Srinivasan,were part of the Tamil Nadu government-appointed committee mandated to look into the safety aspects.

Jayalalithaa herself had been supportive of the plant till she made a turnaround in the face of the agitation. Many saw the local body polls as well as the Sankarankoil by-election to be the main reason behind the change of stance,coupled with the political tug of war with the Centre.

The cabinet meeting in Chennai today morning decided that the power plant should be commissioned at the earliest. It noted that the expert committees that went into the issue had assured the safety of the mega plant.

Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project site director M Kasinath Balaji they would immediately begin work to ensure the plant went on stream at the earliest. “We have been waiting for the district administration to give as permission to resume work since October 13,which finally came today. To put it simply,I am very happy,” he told The Indian Express over the phone.

According to him,Unit I of the project had reached 99 per cent completion,while the second unit was 95 per cent complete.

The cabinet accepted the finding of its committee that there was no perceived threat of earthquake or tsunami in the region on the lines of what happened at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

The package of Rs 500 crore announced for the area would be used to create infrastructure,including roads,ensure drinking water supply and provide improved facilities for fishermen.

The arrests in Koodankulam came before the Cabinet decision. Among those held was advocate S Sivasubramanian,one of the key persons of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy that has been organising the protests.

According to sources,the leaders of the agitation had been invited by the district administration to clarify certain parts of the memorandum they submitted to the Chief Minister during their last meeting on February 29. Suspecting this to be a ploy to detain them,they had stalled citing various reasons. When Sivasubramanian and few others finally met the police today morning,they were taken into custody.

As news about the arrests spread,villagers rushed to the protest venue and Udayakumar and Pushparayan announced they were going on a fast unto death. Terming the state government decision unfortunate,Udayakumar said Tamil Nadu seemed to have buckled under the Centre’s pressure.