Kudankulam protesters start 48 hrs fasting

  • 11/09/2012

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)

Situation continues to be tense, violence spreads to villages of Uvari, Tiruchendur and parts of Tuticorin The anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) agitation is now spreading to other parts of the Southern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. While, the protesters (the local fishing community) have started the 48 hrs fasting at Idinthakarai, fishermen from Rameswaram, one of the largest fishing hub in the country, decided not to go the sea in support to Idinthakarai protesters. Meanwhile, the district administration declared section 144 till October 9 in the surrounding of KNPP, located at Kuduankulam district, around 650 kms from Chennai. The situation continues to be tense in the districts of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin after a fisherman died on Monday evening after Police opened fire. The 48-hrs fast started by local fishermen, who moved away from their neighbouring villages to assemble at Idinthikarai, which became a war zone since Monday morning. The villages in and around the plant (including Bhairavi Kinnar, Thillaivallan Thoppe) were looking deserted and access to these villages were blocked. Most of the women decided to stay inside the house in these villages. Muthulakshmi, a villager here, says her husband is missing since yesterday evening. She spotted her husband when he was jumping into the sea to escape from the Police lathicharge on Monday. Her husband is one of the 50 plus people still missing across four villages here. Meanwhile, the local people claim Police did a door to door search in search of People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) convener S P Udayakumar, who according to Police is missing since yesterday evening. While the Police is not able to trace him, he was talking to Journalists over phone and he did not disclose where he was hiding. "We will continue our agitation, whatever it cost we will not let this plant (KNPP) commence production," said Udayakumar. He asked the supporters to continue the protest in non-violence manner and asked other community men to support. ADGP George said that proesters are using women and child as their shields to cover them. Udayakumar replied stating that "they (women and children) are citizens of this village and they are also protesting for their future". Idnithakarai has now become a separate Island, since access to this remote village in Southern Tamil Nadu, is now blocked by the protesters. Meanwhile, fishermen from Rameswaram held an urgent meeting late last night and decided not to go the sea for fishing. The strike is in support of people at Idnithakarai. While this is the ground scene, as on Tuesday early Morning, the Centre gave a strong message. Minister of State in PMO, V Narayanaswamy told reporters at Chennai airport that "power production will commence as scheduled". He also asked Centre and State governments to take actions against people who are getting into violence. In Uvari a wine shop was completely burnt by the protesters and six lakh bottles of liquor were damaged. A petrol bunk was also damaged at this village. Fishermen in Tuticorin district blocked the trains on Monday evening, leaving 3000 passengers with no choice but to stay back in the station. In a police firing a fisherman named Anthony was died on Monday evening.