Udayakumar wants to explain ‘evils’ of nuclear plants to Jayalalithaa

People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) coordinator S.P. Udayakumar has sought an appointment with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to explain about the issues related to nuclear plants in Kudankulam and Kalpakkam, and the proposed neutrino research centre near Theni.

Mr. Udayakumar mailed a letter to Ms. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday. In his letter, he welcomed the bypoll campaign speech delivered by Ms. Jayalalithaa in R.K. Nagar in Chennai on June 22.

The PMANE welcomed the initiatives taken by the State government to tide over power shortage by producing 4,992 MW additional units of power, which helped industrial development in the State.

He said that it was a well-known fact that the two nuclear power plants in Kudankulam and Kalpakkam played a very minor role in this achievement during the last four years.

Mr. Udayakumar questioned Ms. Jayalalithaa’s silence over the “evils” of nuclear plants. The PMANE did not understand why hundreds of cases foisted on the people who fought against Kudankulam nuclear plant were not withdrawn even after the Supreme Court’s direction. The people were tortured by way of frequent summons from officials, he noted.

He also recalled Ms. Jayalalithaa’s promise that “she would be one among the people against nuclear plants” during the initial stages of the protest.