CITU dares Kondru for open debate on N-plant

Bike rally against Kovvada nuclear park Srikakulam: Leaders of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) here on Sunday took out a massive rally on motorcycles demanding the government to immediately withdraw GOs 42 and 270 relating to the setting up of nuclear power park at Kovvada of Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district. Several people participated in the rally, taken out on the National Highway under the aegis of CITU, which began at Ranasthalam and culminated at Paidibhimavaram. Later, addressing the protestors, the CITU leaders said Ranasthalam was declared an earthquake-prone area and the setting up of a nuclear power plant in this place would be nothing short of planting an atomic bomb. The excessive radiation released by the nuclear power plant would contaminate the air, water and the environment beyond redemption, they said. Finding fault with Minister for Health Kondru Murali's statement that people benefit from the nuclear power plant, the CITU leaders demanded the minister for an open debate on this issue. Citing the example of Japan, which was not still be able to recover from the disaster at the nuclear power plant and the resultant contamination, they said following this incident, even developed nations were looking at sources of energy other than the nuclear power plants. Despite such instances, it was unfortunate that the government was going ahead with the setting up of a nuclear power plant in Srikakulam district, they lamented. Though 30 Panchayats, three Mandal Parishads in Ranasthalam mandal and Srikakulam Zilla Parishad had resolved against the setting up of nuclear power plant, the State and the Central governments were not taking the sentiments of the people into account, they said. At least now, the State and the Central governments should scrap the GOs, the CITU leaders said and warned that they would intensify the agitation if the governments failed to act immediately.