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    Kudankulam activist tells PM to prove NGO-funded charge or quit

    Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu), Feb.24 (ANI): Anti-nuclear activist S.P. Uday Kumar on Friday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the his statement that NGOs based in the United States and in some Scandinavian countries are fuelling the Kudankulam nuclear plant protests.

    In interviews given to various television channels, Kumar asked Dr. Singh to prove his charge or quit office.

    "The Prime Minister should take back his statement. If the Prime Minister can't prove his charge then he should step down. The Prime Minister is not an elected PM, but a nominated one, that's why he is insulting the people of India," claimed Kumar.

    "It is nonsense to say that NGOs' from the US and Scandinavian countries are funding the Kudankulam protest," he said.

    "The Prime Minister, who is the head of the country, can't make such remarks. He has no sympathy. Lakhs of people are struggling and instead of acknowledging, he is accusing us of receiving money. We are not receiving money from any NGO," said Kumar.

    "His ministerial colleague Narayansamy said the same thing. Why can't he produce some evidence to prove his charge? The Prime Minister insults the people of the country," Kumar said.

    Speaking to NDTV"s Science Editor Pallava Bagla during an interview for the Science magazine, Dr. Singh said: "What"s happening in Kudankulam...the atomic energy programme has got into difficulties because these NGOs, mostly I think based in the United States, don"t appreciate the need for our country to increase the energy supply."

    The Prime Minister has also blamed these NGOs for opposing genetically modified foods and the use of biotechnology to increase food production in the country.

    "Biotechnology has enormous potential and in due course of time we must make use of genetic engineering technologies to increase the productivity of our agriculture. But there are controversies. There are NGOs, often funded from the United States and the Scandinavian countries, which are not fully appreciative of the development challenges that our country faces," Dr Singh said.

    The Rs.13, 000-crore Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) is located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

    Being built with Russian collaboration, the plant is expected to provide energy-starved India respite from power shortage.

    The Indo-Russian nuclear plant joint venture, however, has run into trouble, with activists and locals staging massive protests citing safety concerns in the wake of the Fukushima disaster that took place in Japan on March 11, 2011.

    The frequent protests have stalled the commissioning of two 1000-megawatt nuclear reactors.

    Several rounds of talks between a Central Government-appointed expert panel and representatives of villagers opposing the plant have failed to end the standoff.

    The villagers say they fear for their lives and their safety in case of a nuclear accident, as also concerns over the long-term impact it would have on the population in the area.

    Worried over the scale of protests against the plant, the PM had urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to support the project and had assured her that no safety features would be compromised at the plant.

    While international experts have signed off on the facilities of the plant, deeming them strong enough to withstand an earthquake or a tsunami, the country"s nuclear watchdog - the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board - has suggested that more security checks are needed at the plant. (ANI)

     

    99 comments

    • g.c. s  •  Sunnyvale, United States  •  3 months ago
      Private parties are supplying 1800 MW energy at higher cost in Tamilnadu. Some Ministers are also involved in this looting business.Kudankulum will supply 2000MW energy. As such the private profiteers fear that they will have to wind up their looting business. This is why they have misguided the villagers to protest the Nuclear Power plant. Dr. APJ Kalam has already given clean chit to safety standards of the plant.
      PM is right.
      • vasanth 3 months ago
        There is no doubt that the energy starved Tamil Nadu needs Power generating projects. But in the name of Development and requirement, we can not allow our soil to be used as an albino rabbit. Countries that are supplying these technologies and nuclear fuel, meet their energy requirements through conservative methods. There is a lateral thinking about nuclear power even in such countries.
      • Rahul 3 months ago
        Well nuclear energy seems to be savior, but say no to it without safety. The clean cheat by kalam was controversial and was in news, so that can not be basis unless otherwise it is repeated. We know what standard, an Indian system can put up. So, that is the main concern of these NGOs. We re following many international practices minus their standards. That is a big compromise.
    • DrFlipChip  •  3 months ago
      Two wrongs do not make a right.

      The Kudankulam Power Plant has modern design and is able to tackle accidents far better than the old & obsolete reactors in Fukushima, Japan.

      But India is not China, it is too diverse and fragmented and public opinion, right or wrong, need to be respected and the public need to be educated in these complex technical matters patiently. After Fukushima last year, the GOI or its Nuclear experts should have anticipated public fear and started eduating them well ahead of the date for commissioning Kudankulam.

      The Govt. should have had much more open, honest and patient interaction with the public. This is where the IDIOT Man Mohan Singh has been making a mistake - perhaps because he has never been a politician and is still an unelected bureaucrat appointed by the Maino woman as Prime Minister to act as a front for her Mafia.

      GOI goofs make it easy for malcontents and opportunists like this Uday Kumar ( who hides his Christian name and the fact that he was sponsored by the church to go get trained in the USA on public agitation in the name of democracy ) will have the day.

      Why has the Indian media not exposed him yet ? Is it because they are in the pocket of the West too, eagerly waiting for a grant / scholarship to travel to the west ?
    • bob  •  Nagpur, Maharashtra  •  3 months ago
      Dr Singh has started to lose his mental balance due the severe restrictions on his office by party high command. It's pretty unfortunate to see the man whose decision put India in a different growth trajectory reduced to such a sorry state by his party colleagues and his boss.I think in best interests of his future and nation he should quit. I have been following this issue closely and this govt is simply ignoring the risks this project posses to the environment. He is willing to go ahead without a thorough risk assessment which could have grave consequences if the energy goes out of control or leaks.
      • info p 3 months ago
        Why don't you take over as PM? In India everything is possible Blaimers are more vocal than the doers.
      • handly 3 months ago
        You are unfit for present generation, better consult phychatrist.
      • k 3 months ago
        well,but why does everyone forget bhopal gas tragedy??isnt russia going to b considirate to congress"s coffers?? matter isnt simple.
    • the Sensible  •  Kolkata, West Bengal  •  3 months ago
      A good Citizen should understand that a State not having adequate coal/lignite deposits and other alternative sources of energy has to fall back upon N-energy or to remain satisfied with long black-outs. Yes, Safety is an issue which must be addressed to the best of our ability.
      • M B 3 months ago
        Whose ability? Technocrats or funded NGOs.
    • Peter Morris  •  3 months ago
      In the next couple of decades the greatest threat that India would face would not just be limited to oil or gas but power. Rapid industrialization and increased growth of our economy demands a tremendous amount of power currently not met with the amount of energy sources that we have. Hence the need for a nuclear source of energy is more predominant and it is prerogative at this juncture . Let me ask this so called NGO's, can they provide this energy stricken nation with an alternate plan so robust as whatever is suggested. I certainly believe these NGO's are curbing the progress of the nation rather than helping its people. Lets not forget what they did when computers and tractors were first introduced.Also lets not forget that the architect of India's economic progress is our prime minister Dr Singh.Have we ever thought what would have been the plight of our nation if economic reforms were not introduced?? We would have been another Argentina or Greece. It is because of his bold initiatives that we are able to post these comments and be at whatever place we are now. And Its only in his home country his fellow citizens does'nt recognise his acumen. He is one of the most acknowleged personalitites in the whole world after APJ. Lets not forget that.
    • Sylvia F  •  3 months ago
      Mr. Udaykumar is misleading the Indian people by making false allegations. He is definitely on the payroll of these external funding sources who are bent on taking the country backwards. How else is Udaykumar able to finance such a long drawn-out agitation. I'm sure all his supporters are being well paid or else why would they spend all their time at the agitation site instead of going to work. Obviously their livelihood is being well taken care of. Thus Udaykumar has absolutely no moral right to challenge the PM.
      • PSG 3 months ago
        You are 100% correct, Syvia. I do not know when the work on the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant work started. It should have taken minimum 5 years, I suppose. Where was this Udaykumar when 13700 crore of rupees were getting invested? If he had objected at the start of the project, it is understandable. His action is against the interests of the country. A thorough High-level probe is necessary to find out the antecedents of this self-styled social activist, Udaykumar.
      • kannan 2 months ago
        dear psg, you should not make arguements for arguements. If udayakumar was there to say protest at the start would the plant activities be stopped? . it is not a matter of investment. It is a post fukushima time. you should remember that. Unless you are 100% sure that the plant is harmless, you should not simply argue for the project. It is better that u ask the nuclear power producers to build the plant in ur town , i suppose, bangalore...
    • poosha  •  Chennai, Tamil Nadu  •  3 months ago
      All the safety measures should be satisfied and the plant should be commissioned.APJ visited the plant and assured that it was safe.Everybody knows that APJ does not throw words at the wind.Still if there is an opposition to the nuclear plant, there is something more than just safety of it playing its role.These very people say that a 115 year old dam whose weakness was proved by the recent samples taken from the inside of the walls,is safe.An investigation into the people behind the agitation is needed.I am sure we will finds hands of anti-Indian forces behind all this.
      • Sahaya Jestus 3 months ago
        Please read the last paragraph once again.
      • malay 3 months ago
        Safety is assured as per our great scientist and Ex-President Dr.APJ. Still there is hue and cry by the so called social activist. Are they more inteligent and knowledgable than Dr.APJ? Ther are something else & some other ulterior motives of the so called activist.
      • rajats 3 months ago
        source of funds - prime minister has already clarified this. what more than this one need?
    • Jayaraman  •  Chennai, Tamil Nadu  •  3 months ago
      These NGO's have a religious background.Local parishers from here go abroad on freely avaliable religious visas for assignments in churches in desolate counties where local priests are not avaliable.These parishers have a radical mindset with conversion as objective when they come back, and with their network are able to arrange funds from NGO's for mass conversion and arrange protest meetings like what we are seeing in Kundankulam. The PM is spot on in this.The seeds of radicalism is now being sown.It is not about Kundankulam.The larger danger is beginning of militant activities in TN.
    • Commoner  •  Chennai, Tamil Nadu  •  3 months ago
      the comment I posted a few minutes back is not there now.what happens in yahoo.
    • Layman  •  3 months ago
      The Centre is mishandling this situation. Should have taken stern steps and clamped down the agitators with an iron fist in the first instance itself. The electric energy for the future is only through N Plants throughout the world. When the State is starving of an acute shortage of energy, there is no meaning in such activities. If the agitators, whether funded by foreigners or insiders, are making the State to grope in darkness, which is a grevious crime. Crush them all straight away and commence the plant. Tax payers hard monies cannot be wasted in this plant. Why not some one file a PIL against these insane agitators?
    • M B  •  Chandigarh, Chandigarh  •  3 months ago
      We are so political that after Japanese accident in nuclear plant due to natural calamity , we had started politics on our own plant. Have Japan stopped its other plants after the incident, No. If we think we are more patriotic than Japanese then we are kidding.

      We have more foreign paid Bas...ds then any other country in the world and we claim to be most patriotic politicians in the world. The local Govt of the state did not come to the aid of the project (for the benefit of common tamilian) when it was needed and cleverly diverted it to against center.
    • mani  •  Santa Clara, United States  •  3 months ago
      What does the "Namaste" pose try to tell? "Please excuse me I have to make some statement"
    • Rakesh  •  3 months ago
      It is not important who is funding the operation,but instead this protest should have been this strong from the day the proposal was put in place. Instead they eat the 13000 crore rupees helping to built the area to fill their pockets and now protest.
    • Ultavichar  •  Gurgaon, Haryana  •  3 months ago
      It is of common knowledge that many political groups in Kashmir & elsewhere are funded from outside to oppose Government moves if against their interest. We all know character of our politicians.
    • Saviour  •  Kochi, Kerala  •  3 months ago
      The PM instead of making his comments to a channel person shuld hv addressed to the protesters of his evidences of foreign funding and also impress them how safe the plant is instead of asking others to defend him.It is simply ridiculous.Narayanaswamy is known for his blabberings and so need not be counted.This PM is always saying things that are not correct instead of directly addressing the concerned persons.That is the pity.
    • A dedicated Secular India ...  •  Mumbai, Maharashtra  •  3 months ago
      The Prime Minister is surrounded by the team of illegal unaccounted fund takers from outside&inside and he has become a maniac of such environment.
      It is said in Hindi that "Andhe ko sab koi Andha hi dikhta hai".
      This is noting but fault of our misguided leadership(political)who had planned their policy long back (to instigate communal hatred between religions,to separate people on caste lines,to divide people on language & state lines) to befool innocent people of our country to bring back Monarchy behind the screen,so that their spouses may control the fund without any difficulty.
      Till the young generation take charge of agitation out of vested interest and participate in political change group, without people of 50 years and above,to begin from their school and college days,such things to mislead the country will be continued.
      Appeal the youth to forget party politics,caste,creed and religion come forward to save the country and throw away the vested unqualified politicians above the age of 50.
      Remember the lines from poet Iqbal "Na samjhoge to mit jao ge aye Hindustan wale, tumhari dastan tak bhi na ho gi dastanon mein".
    • damo  •  Chennai, Tamil Nadu  •  2 months ago
      If udayakumar wants more money better he can sell his wife and daughter to get it.
    • damo  •  Chennai, Tamil Nadu  •  2 months ago
      Yes. Udaya kumar is shame to india. In US they have around 18 nuclear reactors. The capital city New York which is near by sea and covers most population has nuclear reactor near by and saves new york.Why not india doing it?.
    • Michael  •  New Delhi, Delhi  •  2 months ago
      This UdayKumar is a -----------. UdayKumar is a shame to india. The people near Kudankulam project has to work for their daily chores.But they have been on strike for 3 months without going to work. How are they getting money for their food and other chores? How are they feeding their children? Think. Some one is funding them from behind .So that there is no need for them to go to work.
      They are enjoying their life in the name of strike but lakhs of people are in dark without power in TamilNadu.

      If this project gets cancelled Russia won't fund us again and We have to fully depend on US thereafter , the same thing as our ancestors were as slave for the british we have to be slave to US. This is what US wants so they are funding the protestors of Kudankulam. Can u guys remember the plea by our country regarding importing of Uranium for Nuclear Fuels from US. How we plea for this? The same think will have for each and every thing if we are depend on US for future projects.
    • Rajan Marot  •  Kottayam, Kerala  •  3 months ago
      It is all part of the on going political game in Tamil Nadu. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam visited the Koodankulam Project personnely and find the arrangements are safe and most modern. The present out cry by politically motivated people are not worth to comment.