Seventeen prominent personalities, including the former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral (Retd.) Ramdas; Medha Patkar; Aruna Roy and several scientists, have issued a statement urging the Prime Minister’s Office to commission an enquiry into alleged irregularities in Units 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).

With its declared commercial operation 15 days away, the Unit 1 turbine sustained damage, which brings into question the quality of the components used, the construction of the plant and the rigour of the quality verification exercise carried out by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), they said in a statement released here on Thursday.

They also called upon the government to not go ahead with Units 3 and 4 respecting the local sentiment against the projects.

Expressing concern at “the total lack of accountability of the Department of Atomic Energy, NPCIL and the AERB” with respect to the Kudankulam project, the activists said they were worried about the safety ramifications of persisting with the commissioning of Unit 1 without a thorough and independent review of the plant, its components and the processes of setting it up.

“If reports about the damaged turbine are true, then it is cause for serious concern. As usual, no official clarification has been forthcoming from the agencies concerned. The delay in commissioning is the least of the problems; the damaged turbine spotlights far more fundamental issues that impinge on the long-term viability and safety of the reactor,” they said.

While Indian reactors have had an average lead time of five months between attaining criticality and commencing commercial production, Kudankulam Unit 1 would take more than two years to meet this milestone if ever it does, they pointed out and urged the PMO to commission an enquiry to inspire confidence in the minds of public regarding the intentions of the government.