KKNPP talks not satisfactory

TIRUNELVELI: The deadlock over the Koodankulam plant is set to continue as PMANE member and State expert panel member M Pushparayan, on Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction over the third phase of talks with the Central committee. Twelve of the 15-member Central expert panel led by A E Muthunayagam participated in the talks, held at the Tirunelveli Collectorate. Five members, including Tirunelveli Collector R  Selvaraj, SP Vijayendra S Bidari, PMANE representative M Pushparayan, M P Jesuraj, and Thangaraj represented the State panel. After the two hour meeting, M Pushparayan said that the Central expert committee informed that they had no rights to provide KKNPP related documents.  They advised  access of documents through RTI. Though the Central panel handed over a 77-page report, it was only a brief of the two reports the State panel submitted to the Central panel, he said.     Pushparayan also said that his proposal to hold a discussion with  PMANE experts panel was turned down by the Central team.However, the Central panel accepted the request of the State panel members to check the quality of construction at the Koodankulam plant. Pushparayan said that the panel assured them that they would check the construction based on AERB regulations. He said that the members tried to convince the panel that local residents had concerns over chances of volcano and tsunami causing damage to the nuclear plant. Pushparayan, however, said there was no improvement in the third round of talks. The expert panel failed to provide the documents sought, he said and added that the State panel would seek more clarifications from the Central panel. The PMANE also submitted a petition to the District Collector seeking permission to visit the Koodankulam plant.