SC rejects plea alleging violation of safety rules by Kundankulam plant

Court says it was satisfied with steps taken by several authorities in charge of safety aspects

The Supreme Court today dismissed an appeal which had alleged that the Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu is not following the 15 precautions prescribed by the court last year before operating it.

The bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan, which had imposed the safety requirements, stated that it was satisfied with the steps taken by the several authorities who were put in charge of the safety aspects.

The judgment stated that after examining the affidavits filed by the authorities, “we notice that the directions given by this court are being properly addressed by them and there is no laxity. For full implementation of directions, evidently, it may take some more time.”

The court also rejected the request of the anti-nuclear activists that a committee should be appointed to ensure the compliance of the earlier directions. Since the authorities are themselves following the prescriptions, no further monitoring was necessary.

The Atomic Energy Board, the state pollution control board and the district collector, among others, have told the court that its directions are being followed and there was no danger to the plant and the villages nearby as alleged in the petition moved by G Sundararajan and other activists who spearheaded the movement against the plant.