Tamil Nadu's anti-nuclear plant agitators to go on indefinite fast

Intensifying their protest, the anti-Koodankulam nuclear power project agitators today decided to observe indefinite fast with a view to pressuring the Central and state governments to take an early decision on scrapping the Indo-Russian project.

Activists with the People's Movement against Nuclear Energy are already observing a three-day fast since October 9 demanding scrapping of the project.

M Pushparayan, convener of the movement, told reporters here that the Tamil Nadu Cabinet had passed a resolution urging the Centre to halt the work on the KNPP until the fears of local population over the safety of the plants are allayed.

"But it should not wash its hands off and remain indifferent to the people's demand to scrap the project," he said.

The agitators have decided to observe indefinite fast to pressurise the Central and state governments to take an early decision on closing down the project, the activist said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on October 7 announced that an expert group would be set up to allay the safety concerns, but just two days later anti-KNPP activists resumed their agitation with a three-day fast to press their demand on scrapping it.

Singh's assurance had come after a multi-party delegation, including anti-nuclear KNPP activists, met him in Delhi.