With the commissioning ofthe Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project expected by themonth-end, anti-nuclear activists stepped up their protestsand laid a siege to the plant from the sea Monday.
Coinciding with the World Human Rights Day, the protestersincluding fishermen, laid the 'sea siege' positioningthemselves in about 200 boats 500 metres away from the plant.
The protesters led by People's Movement Against NuclearEnergy (PMANE) coordinator S P Udayakumar, waved black flagsand shouted slogans demanding scrapping of the controversialIndo-Russian plant.
However,reports said response to the protest fromfisherfolk was lukewarm fisherfolk compared to the earlierones.
This the third such protest by the anti-nuclear activistswho are insisting on shutting down of the plant and withdrawalof cases filed against them.
Talking to reporters, Udayakumar said the nuclear plantissue would be made a discussion point in the nextParliamentary elections.
Charging the government with going ahead with the projectdespite strong protests from people, he said "they(government) say we will not honour Supreme Court and people'ssentiments and will go ahead. It will not happen in ademocracy. We will not allow it to happen".
A large posse of police in addition to several companiesof CRPF and CISF has been deployed to keep a vigil in andaround the plant.
The first unit of the project with capacity to produce1000 MW was scheduled to be commissioned in December last yearbut had been delayed due to protests by locals on safetyconcerns.
Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy said yesterdayin Tirunelveli that Atomic Regulatory Board officials werestill inspecting the plant. A meeting of the Board officialswas held on December 3, and order for commencing powergeneration would be issued before this month-end.