Even as the anti-nuclear protestors continued their agitation against fuel loading in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP), the Supreme Court of India refused to grant immediate stay against making the plant operational. On September 13, the protestors formed a human chain and entered in the sea water off the Idinthakarai coast in Chennai.
The apex court refused to grant stay on September 13 while hearing an appeal filed by Chennai-based software professional, G Sundararajan. In the petition filed earlier this week, he has challenged the Madras High Court order giving a go-ahead for fuel loading in KNPP. However, the Supreme Court bench has agreed to examine the risks associated with the project, saying the safety of the people is its prime concern.
The petitioner has said that the plant should not be given a go-ahead for fuel loading because the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has not implemented all the 17 recommendations suggested by Centre-appointed task force on nuclear safety after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March, 2011. AERB while arguing the case in the Madras High Court had said that out of 17, it has fulfilled six recommendations and the rest 11 would be implemented in a phased manner over the next two years. The next hearing of the case is on September 20.