150 days of a hunger Strike

Protest movement against Kudankulam nuclear power reactors, will complete its 150th day on January 12, 2012. With the collaboration of Russia, two nuclear power reactors that can produce 1000 megawatt electricity have been built with the investment of Rs.13,500 crore in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. The local people started their agitation against this on August 11, 2011, with one day fasting. Since September 11, 2011, people in Idinthakarai village, just a thousand metre away from where the the reactors are located, launched their relay hunger strike and it has got a huge support of the public and political parties. After seeing the mass support for protesters increasing, the state government held a dialogue with protesters. And within a few days the state assembly passed a resolution that asked the central government to stop the activities at Kudankulam till the fears of local people is allayed.

The centre has sent an expert committee to explain the local people about the safety measures that have been put in place and how safe the whole project is. Former president Abdul Kalam also visited the Kudankulam site and gave clean chit to the project. He said it is 100 per cent safe. But, both, the expert committee and Kalam failed to convince the people. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Sing announced in Moscow, during his recent visit to Russia, that the nuclear power reactors would start function within two weeks. This statement has shocked the protestors and they intensified their struggle.

Initha, belongs to Idinthakarai, who spoke to TSI said, "Our struggle will continue till the reactors are completely removed from here. Most of the people support our struggle, including school and college students. Though a few people support Kudnakulam project our protest movement is infinitely bigger and stronger. Since it is a question of our life and death we will not rest till the project is completely closed. Nowadays we use tube light instead of bulbs to save electricity."

"On the 150th day of the protest movement, we are planning to hold a rally from Radhapurm to Parameswarapuram, 5 km stretch. One of our demands of the rally is the centre should provide 1000 megawatt to Tamil Nadu immediately. Moreover, we are planning to hold more and more protest meeting in this month," said Suba. Udayakumaram, coordinator of the protest movement, to TSI.