Tamil Nadu(TN) cabinet to discuss KNPP crisis today

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has convened a cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss the crisis over the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

According to reports, today’s meeting of the Cabinet comes at a time when the southern state faces acute power shortage and amidst allegation that several NGOs are receiving foreign funds to fuel the protests against the plant.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had recently said, “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. But we are a democracy, we are not like China. You know, for example, what’s happening in Kudankulam The atomic energy program 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.”

Prime Minister Singh made these remarks to a journal named Science.
However, anti-nuke activists and the representatives of several NGOs have categorically denied these allegations and claimed that the movement is being funded by the public.

The anti-nuke protestors have also accused the government of being insensitive and deliberately resorting to power cuts to create resentment against protesting villagers.

Last year, the state Cabinet had passed a resolution asking for a halt in work at the upcoming Kudankulam nuclear plant till public fear is allayed. This after several thousand villagers took to the streets demanding shutdown of the plant following the Fukhushima tragedy.

However, the central government appointed expert committee had concluded that the plant to be safe and public fear unfounded. The committee had also has submitted its report.