HC orders issue of notice to HR Dept of KNPP

The Madras High Court bench here today ordered a notice to Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project on a plea by "qualified local persons" that the power station was selecting people from neighbouring state despite an assurance given to those who sold land for the project that they would be given preference in appointments.
Justice K Ravichandra Babu ordered issue of the notice to the HR department and Tirunelveli District Collector seeking their replies within four weeks.
The petitioners submitted that when their lands were acquired for the project, the locals were given an assurance on March 26, 1999, that locals would be given appointments if they were qualified. The Additional Chief Engineer assured that locals would not be denied opportunity.

However, when KNPP's HR department advertised for the posts of Scientific Assitants, technicians and stipendiary trainees, they did not mention about the preference for the local people, they submitted.
They had given advertisement in neighbouring Kerala also and they were also called to participate in the interview, which the petitioners contended was against the assurance given to the locals who lost their land for the project.
Though they had objected, their objection had been ignored. The High Court had already ordered in a case relating to BHEL-Tiruchirappalli case that the local people should be given priority if they had sold the land for the project.

As KNPP had given undertaking to prefer local people in appointments, they were bound to implement it, they contended.