KNPP: PM accepts Jaya advice

NEW DELHI: Though he did not give any final word on the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday assured an all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu that there would be no compromise on safety.“Nothing will be done that would threaten the safety or livelihood of any section of society, particularly those living in the vicinity of a project,” Singh told the team led by Tamil Nadu Fina­nce Minister O Pannerselvam. He also said that an expert panel would be set up to address all the concerns of those opposed to the plant.The first 1,000 MW nuclea­r power plant set to be commis­sioned later this year in Koodankulam ran into protests from locals who have raised concern over its safety in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster earlier this year.Barring the DMK, the delegation had representatives of the AIADMK, Congress, CPI and Samathuva Makkal Katchi as well as a local committee that led an 11-day fast against the plants. They had a 55-minute meeting with Singh during which officials made a presentation on safety aspects of the plant.While the memorandum submitted by the activists spoke about nuclear acciden­ts across the world and other protests against nuclear energy in the country, demanding the withdrawal of the pro­ject, the petition submitted by the government was confined to the protests and the initiatives taken by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. “It is requested that the Governme­nt of India may depute competent authorities to hold discussions with the represen­tatives of the people of Koodankulam about their fears and apprehensions and explain to the people the safety measures taken and convince them about the safety of the plant,” the memorandum by the government said.