Anti-nuclear activists begin their march to Koodankulam from the Martyr's Memorial in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Photo: Roy Mathew

Anti-nuclear activists under the aegis of Solidarity Council supporting Kudankulam anti-nuclear movements began a vehicle march to Kudankulam from here on Sunday morning.

They demand that the Kerala government should take a stand on the nuclear power plant coming up at Kudankulam as Tamil Nadu government had done. They note that the plant is only about 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram. In case of a nuclear accident at Kudankulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala would be affected besides the districts of Tamil Nadu.

The march was joined by groups of people from Peringome and Kothamangalam in Kerala where nuclear plants had been proposed to be set up in the past. (The proposals were shelved following protests from the local people.) They will proceed to Idinthakarai near Kudankulam to express their solidarity and join the ongoing Satyagrah by local groups in the village.

Anti-nuclear activist Surenda Gadekar inaugurated the march. Dr. N. A. Kareem, Civic Chandran, C. R. Neelakantan, T. Peter, John Peruvanthanam, B. Surendranath, T. O. Joseph, N. Subramaniam and other leaders and representatives of about 30 organisations participated.

On Saturday night, they had staged a torch light procession at Sanghumukhom here to mark their protest. Leader of the Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation T. Peter said that the plant was being built in an area with high concentration of fishermen. Their security was in peril. He said that the agitation would be intensified from November 1.

Courtesy: THE HINDU