Chennai, Sep 20 (ANI): Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, V Narayanaswamy, on Tuesday said that he would meet the residents agitating against the set up of the Koodankulam Nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu and request them to end their stir.
The local population and fishermen in and around Koodankulam have been protesting against the project. Around 100 persons are sitting on an indefinite fast for the past nine days, demanding the scrapping of the project.
Protesters fear that a Fukushima type of situation could be repeated in the coastal town in case of tsunami or an earthquake.
Dismissing their fears, Narayanaswamy maintained that the government had initiated several measures to enhance the country's nuclear safety and ensure the safety of people.
"I will go to Koodankulam, meet the representatives of the agitating people and explain to them, along with our officers, that our department is taking all possible steps to ensure that the safety standards are maintained, international level safety standards are maintained," said Narayanaswamy.
"We will see that the people are secured and there is no compromise on safety measures. We will convince them and we will request them to withdraw the hunger strike. Normal life has to be restored there, therefore I am going there," he added.
Established in a joint collaboration between India and Russia, the Koodankulam nuclear power project envisages to build two 1,000 MW VVER type reactors by end of December 2011.
Highlighting the efficiency of existing nuclear safety and monitoring mechanisms put in place by the government, Narayanaswamy stressed that nuclear plants posed 'no danger' to the people.
"It is our duty to allay the fears of the people and tell them very clearly what all safety measures we have taken, how they are going to be very safe and there will be no danger to the lives and properties of the people in that region," said Narayanaswamy.
Narayanaswamy also reflected on the various steps taken by the government to prevent a tragedy akin to the Fukushima incident.
"In fact, the honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, when the Fukushima incident took place, he called the officers of the department of nuclear energy and gave them clear instructions that whatever be the existing safety measures, further strengthening mechanism has to be worked out," said Narayanaswamy.
Accordingly, the review committees have been constituted for Koodankulam, Kalapakkam in Maharashtra, in Rajasthan, in all the places where nuclear power plants are there," he added. (ANI)
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