Dear Friends,
The recent people’s struggle against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant has entered its 16th month. Over the last year, numerous people have been arrested, jailed and released on bail. Many breadwinners from indigent families, particularly from Koodankulam and Vairavikinaru, are still in jail. Supporting the families with rations, keeping them going, and fighting the legal cases filed bythe police against villagers costs money. The Government wants to bury the campaign under a mountain of cases. More than 250 cases against more than 150,000 people, including cases of sedition and waging war against 10,000 or more, have been filed. We are looking to be prepared. The lawyers helping us are doing it pro-bono, and sometimes even chipping in with the costs of filing and travel. We wish to keep it pro-bono, but we would like to thank them for their solidarity by ensuring that at least the legal expenses are covered.
This appeal is being put out in consultation with the struggle committee in Idinthakarai. The funds raised will be administered by the Chennai Solidarity Group and Samarthan Trust based on requests from the struggle committee on various legal needs. Samarthan is a Bengaluru-based registered Trust which supports, among other things, community-based envirnomental justice struggles.
We request you to contribute generously to the struggle. Send in your contributions (Domestic Indian rupee contributions only. No foreign remittances, please):
a) By cheque: A crossed personal cheque to “Samarthan Trust”. Please write “For legal expenses”
on reverse. The cheque may be sent to: Samarthan Trust, 139/9 Domlur Layout, Opp. Trinity Golf
Links Apartments, Bengaluru 560 071.
b) Direct transfer: Savings Bank A/c Name: Samarthan Trust.
Savings Bank Account No: 57004051652
IFSC Code: SBTR0000428
Bank Name/Address: STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE, COX TOWN, BANGALORE-560005.
In either case, send a confirmation note to: chennaisolidarity@gmail.com with the following details:
a) Your Name. Address/Phone Number/Email
b) Amount Deposited.
c) Cheque or Direct Transfer.
For more information, email: chennaisolidarity@gmail.com
This is an appeal on behalf of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy by:
Admiral L. Ramdas/Lalita Ramdas, CNDP, Raigad, Maharashtra
M.J. Vijayan, Program for Social Action, New Delhi
Praful Bidwai/Achin Vanaik, CNDP, New Delhi
Sanjeev Kumar, Delhi Forum, New Delhi
Neeraj Jain, Lokayat, Pune
P.K. Sundaram, DiaNuke.org, New Delhi
E. Deenadayalan, Samarthan Trust, Bengaluru
V. Geetha/Nityanand Jayaraman, Chennai Solidarity Group, Chennai