Tirunelveli: A senior official of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) maintained that they planned to load uranium fuel assemblies in Unit 1 of KKNPP this month, but Udayakumar, the coordinator of PMANE (People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy), which is spearheading the protest against the KKNPP, asserted that it would be appropriate to wait for the judgement of the Madras High Court in this regard.
The development comes a day after Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy reiterated that KKNPP would start functioning from August 25. “It is only appropriate for us to wait for the judgement and then reveal the complete information about the project to the people and decide on the future course of action,” Udayakumar said.
PMANE’s Udayakumar charged Union Minister Narayanasamy with having complete disregard to the ongoing legal process in the Madras High Court. “This shows that the Minister has contempt for the rule of law,” he added. Udayakumar said that when the country was awaiting the Madras High Court judgement, both these claims amount to ‘contempt of court’. He pointed out that in case the verdict was adverse to them, the petitioner might also approach the Supreme Court. “There is no need for undue haste as the project has been around for a quarter of a century,” Udayakumar said.
The senior KKNPP official told Express that the project inspection of the reactor pressure vessel was completed and other system checking was in progress. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) review process was also in progress. He said that after getting the clearance and fulfilling their conditions, “we would go for fuel loading. We plan to load uranium fuel assemblies by August.”
Meanwhile, contrary to the KKNPP authorities’ claims, Atomic Energy Commissioner Chairman RK Sinha had said the project would start in September.
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