Hot water spill at Koodankulam nuclear plant hurts six, no radiation leak

Six workers suffered injuries when hot water spilled from a valve at Koodankulam nuclear power plant on Wednesday. However, no radiation leak was reported.

According to plant officials, the injured were carrying out maintenance work in the turbine building when the incident took place. After being given first aid on the spot, they were admitted to a hospital.

Anti-nuclear activist S.P.Udayakumar said: "We think that it is very unfortunate that six people have been badly injured. This only substantiates our long standing claim that they have used substandard and shoddy spare parts and equipments in the Koodankulam nuclear power plant."

He demanded an independent scientific inquiry.

India started pumping electricity from the Russian-built power plant for the first time last October after long delays.

The plant has faced local opposition for a quarter of a century and witnessed violent protests in 2012 by villagers who said it was a threat to their safety.

Hundreds of millions of Indians still live without power and factories suffer frequent blackouts - an embarrassment to the country's aspirations as an emerging economic powerhouse.