People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy
Idinthakarai 627 104
Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu
Press Release (For Immediate Release)
October 28, 2014
Tamil Nadu and Kerala Political Parties Should Reveal Their Stand on KKNPP 3&4 Units
Since the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) happens to be the cornerstone for the mega nuclear edifice that the Government of India intends to build with the help of the United States, Russia, France, Japan, South Korea, Australia and scores of other countries, they are unable to acknowledge the fact that KKNPP 1&2 are defunct.
They paraded so many popular personalities to vouchsafe for the safety of the KKNPP. Then they went ahead and announced the hurried and half-baked criticality of KKNPP 1. Ever since the July 2013 criticality, there have been so many rumors and hearsays about the generation and distribution of power at Koodankulam. Nobody has explained the need for more than Rs. 30 crores worth of high speed diesel at a nuclear power plant. After announcing that they were about to start commercial production, they have come up with the acknowledgement that the turbine has had serious problems and it would take at least two months for them to fix things.
With this recent admission, they are beginning to prepare the people of India for the eventual news that the Koodankulam units are indeed defunct. According to the NPCIL records, the Rs. 560 crores project of construction of reactor and reactor auxiliary building for KKNPP 1&2 (C-3 Package) was awarded to the HCC Ltd (Contract No.: 200045) with the start date of 30/04/2010 and it is still in process. In other words, KKNPP 1&2 are still incomplete and unfinished. Even as the first and the second units of the Koodankulam project are paralyzed with turbine problems, shoddy and substandard parts, problematic cores, and a whole array of mysterious issues, the Indian government and their nuclearocrats are pressing ahead with the construction of the KKNPP 3 and 4.
The Coastal Consolidated Structures Pvt. Ltd, Vijayawada, has been given a contract (No. 200644 dated 14.11.2013) for the construction of main approach road (Phase II road), parking areas, service lanes and storm water drains/pipe culverts for KKNPP 3-6Units. This Rs. 12.79 crores worth project was started on 27.11.2013 with the completion date of 26.11.2014. Similarly, the Rs. 42.8 crores worth contract for the construction of project office complex for KKNPP 3-6 (Contract No. W.O.No 200551 dated 19.07.2012) has been awarded to the L&T. The start date of work was 08.06.2012. Although the actual date of completion is 08.06.2014, the work is still in progress. For the construction of various types of quarters, public buildings and other infrastructure facilities in Anuvijay Township at Chettikulam Village (Phase C activity of KKNPP 3 to 6), retendering is in progress. Also the tender is said to be in process for the Electrical Infrastructure Network for KKNPP 3&4.
What is disconcerting here is that the government of India, its Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) are proceeding with the KKNPP 3-6 work without taking the local people, the larger political society or the media into confidence. The same old atomic arrogance and authoritarian behavior are being reproduced in Koodankulam all over again. India and Russia have not signed all the necessary agreements; nor have they decided a whole gamut of issues such as liability, fuel supply, waste storage and so on.
Apart from the political parties and leaders in Tamil Nadu who have objected to KKNPP 1&2 and taken a principled stand against nuclear energy, few others have voiced their opposition to KKNPP 3&4. The big parties such as the AIADMK, DMK, Congress, BJP and others have not announced their position yet. These parties and leaders cannot and should not keep quiet any longer as the well-being of eight crore Tamils and 4 crore Malayalis is at stake here.
In the light of the above situation, we appeal to all the political parties in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to take a clear stand on the KKNPP 3&4 issue and make it known to the public. For instance, the Shiv Sena party has opposed the Jaitapur nuclear power project openly and unambiguously. The civil societies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala should gear up to oppose the KKNPP 3&4 project. The PMANE, for its part, would like to advise the contracting companies not to go ahead with this illegal, unethical and anti-people project without the civil society’s acceptance and the political society’s authorization. They should decide if they want to risk possible stoppage of work and revenue loss due to popular mobilization, legal proceedings and the like.
The Struggle Committee
PMANE
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