Stalemate on Kudankulam continues, talks inconclusive

The meeting between the Centre’s expert committee and a state panel, that sought to break the impasse over the Kudankulam nuclear plant, has been inconclusive. Officials from each side met in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli to discuss concerns over the safety of the plant, where work has been stalled for more than a month now. The meet followed former president APJ Kalam’s site visit to Kudankulam on Sunday to check on the precautions taken by the plant and allay locals’ fears. Following his visit he submitted a 40-page proposal with a 10-point formula. [caption id=“attachment_125926” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“A screen grab of the Kudankulan nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu.”]  [/caption] Kalam’s recommendations included setting up job-creating ancillary industrial units for youth beyond a 30-km radius from the plant, bank loans for youth with 25 percent subsidised interest rates, a 500-bed hospital, a CBSE school, a one million litre per day capacity sea water desalination plant, construction of “green houses” and other social infrastructure for locals and setting up of a disaster response and management centre to reassure the people. He said he didn’t have “even a nano-sized doubt” over the safety of the project. Batting for nuclear energy, Kalam said , “Nuclear power is a God’s boon to human race and to make the best or the worst of it, totally lies in our hands.” Kalam gave the thumbs up to the Kudankulam plant saying that he had checked the safety measures for the nuclear facility and that “these three systems prove that the reactor is a very safe nuclear reactor”, he told CNN-IBN. “This is second time I saw that the systems are in place. The new nuclear plant is ready and it should start functioning. We must do everything for it,” he told CNN-IBN. The plant’s first reactor were scheduled to be commissioned by the end of the year, with each reactor generating 1,000 MW of power, with an energy starved Tamil Nadu receiving almost 1,000 MW of the total 2,000 MW to be generated by its two reactors. However, critics of the plant say they are concerned about more than just safety. “We are not only concerned about the safety, we are concerned about the waste management, we are concerned about the decomissioning issues, we are concerned about the lack of supply of fresh water, we are concerned about terrorist attacks, we are concerned about the long term impact of these plants,” SP Udayakumar, coordinator of People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy told CNN-IBN on Monday. While India needs sources of alternate energy to keep providing fuel to its growing economy, oil is an expensive form and hydro-electric power is in short supply. India is expected to require 700,000 MW of electricity in the coming years and nuclear scientists argue that nuclear power is clean and non-polluting. But, the critics are not convinced. Udayakumar says there is a possible threat of nuclear accidents and that he has issues with decomissioning of the plant. Others worry that a weak liability against the plants could lead to another Bhopal. However, Kalam says he is convinced of the plant’s safety. “This plant has the third generation safety features. It’s safe. I’m fully satisfied,” he said adding that people must go beyond the disease of fear and danger. “History is not made by cowards. Sheer crowds cannot bring about changes. Only those who think everything is possible can create history and bring about changes,”  he said . Watch a slideshow on the worst nuclear disasters in the world [fpgallery id=308] The protests over the Kudankulam plant started early September, when over 3000 villagers took to the roads protesting , with about a 100 going on a fast on on 12 September. The plant located in Tirunelveli, South Tamilnadu, was gearing up to commission its first two reactors. Since then, work at the Rs 13,000-crore project has been paralysed. On 13 October protestors blocked all roads to the plant and stopped 700 scientists from reaching work . Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa listing out the safety measures taken at the Kundakulam nuclear plant and urged her to put her weight behind it saying it was in the interest of the state . Of the 2,000MW power to be generated by the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, Tamil Nadu is expected to receive 925MW.