DiaNuke: Hi! First of all, we wish you a successful year ahead !

Pushparayan: Thanks. For people of Koodankulam, the movement has become a fight to save their lives and livelihoods. It has become a part of their daily life. So, even in the New Year, people celebrated by gathering in large numbers and vowing to save their environment, community life and livelihoods. (See pictures here.)

 DiaNuke: What are the latest developments in Koodankulam?

Pushparayan: The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) organized a big protest meeting in Kanyakumari on 29th December where around 20,000 people participated. On 30th, the people’s expert panel constituted by the PMANE came out with its report which was submitted to the state’s Chief Minister.  At this point we are raising three key demands:

1. Scrap the Koodankulam nuclear power project
2. Provide 10 thousand megawatts of electricity from the central grid
3. Increase and allocate the fund for renewable energy for Tamil Nadu as requested by TN CM
4. To seek an appointment with TN CM asking and justifying our demand that PMANE Expert Team to Central Expert Panel.
5. To demand the TN CM to ask the Centre to remove the uranium Fuel rods from KKNPP Premises.

DiaNuke: What is the status of dialogue with the central government?

Pushparayan:  The dialogue with the central government remained inconclusive. We demanded some important document, information and white papers from the govt that would enable us for an informed and open engagement. But the government refused to provide us these documents, which do not really contain any sensitive data or information. Secondly, we raised several questions to which the Central Government’s expert panel has evaded any substantive answers, on flimsy grounds.  Thirdly, even when the dialogue was on, the government kept putting newer charges on non-violent protesters and activists. This is no way to engage people in a dialogue. And after all this, our PM said during his Russia trip that the government has gone ‘out of its way’ in the dialogue and the protests are ‘overdone’ !

DiaNuke: So, what is your next plan of action?

Pushparayan: The Koodankulam movement is a spontaneous people’s movements and large participation from all sections of society is our only strength. The movement has been thoroughly non-violent and has seen women of the area coming out in huge numbers. We have also got good support from the civil society organisations and concerned people from across the country. We are going to intensify the movement further. There are several events that we are planning in January in collaboration with other organisations. Some of these are independently organised by groups that support us.

Here is a list of the events that we have planned for January: