TIRUNELVELI: Protestors and anti-nuclear activists who organised a conference at Idinthakarai in the district have demanded that the works at Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) should be halted within one week’s time.It may be noted that the indefinite hunger strike demanding closure of KKNPP was called off on September 22 after the State Cabinet passed a resolution urging the Centre to halt works at KKNPP until fears of the local population are addressed. However, the protestors and anti-nuclear activists are dissatisfied as works in KKNPP are progressing as usual and according to official sources, the project is set to be commissioned by November."Even though the State Cabinet had passed a resolution, it was not obeyed by the Centre and hence people converged today to decide on the next course of action,” anti-nuclear activist M Pushparayan said.It may be noted that on Sunday, a conference on ahimsa was conducted at Idinthakarai in which around 1,000 people participated. People celebrated Gandhi Jayanthi and speeches were delivered by representatives from various religions on ahimsa.At the end of the conference, the Anti-Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project Struggle Committee passed a resolution, demanding halt of all works at KKNPP before October 7.SP Udayakumar, coordinator of the Anti-Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project Struggle Committee, told Express that a massive one-day token hunger strike would be conducted on October 9 if works at KKNPP were not halted by October 7. “Our resolution also demanded that the State government should again urge the Centre to halt works at KKNPP obeying the cabinet decision,” he informed.According to him, further course of action would be announced on October 9 as they have decided to wait for one more week to observe the situation.Meanwhile, around 100 members comprising anti-nuclear activists and supporters from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala visited Idinthakarai on Sunday and expressed their solidarity with the protestors.It may be noted that the anti-nuclear activists under the banner of ‘Solidarity Council’ had begun their vehicle march to Idinthakarai from Thiruvananthapuram by Sunday morning and reached Idinthakarai by noon.The members pointed out that people of Peringome and Kothamangalam in Kerala hadsuccessfully made the government shelve the nuclear power projects by their protests.“We have come here to express our solidarity with the protestors for their non-violent struggle,” the members said, adding that KKNPP is also a threat to the people of Kerala.
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