Protesters attempt to siege Kudankulam plant via sea

Siege attempt comes at a time when Tirunelveli district administration has imposed a curfew within 7km radius around the plant

Anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) protesters, who are largely fishermen, ventured into the sea today to siege the plant.

Hundreds of fishermen ventured into the sea from the Indinthakarai village, the centre stage for the protesters, in their country boats. It may be noted, the local protest today entered the 574th day.

Fishermen from Nellai joined the Idhinthikarai fishermen, who ventured into sea at 10 am today to siege the plant via sea.

The plant is located on the sea shore in Tirunelvi district.

S P Udayakumar, who is spearheading the protest, said this time the protest is happening at different places including the tourist destination of Kanyakumari (where the fishermen are planning to block boats going to Vivekenanda rock), Ramathapuram and other nearby areas.

In October last year, fishermen from Nellai, Kanyakumari and Ramanathapuram had come to the shores of Idinthakarai to join their fellow fishermen to siege the plant. This time the protest was decentralised and held at different places.

While protesters ventured into the sea with black flags, boats which were carrying journalists had white flags and boats which had green flags were carrying food, water and first aid for the protesters.

The siege attempt comes at a time when the Tirunelveli district administration imposed a curfew within 7km radius around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP). The decision came after anti-nuclear protesters threatened to siege the plant.

The protest date was fixed to March 11, commemorating the second anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident, said Udayakumar.