Rumours of blast keep KNPP officials on tenterhooks

"There is a rumour spread by some miscreants that there is a blast in KNPP. This is absolutely false and KKNPP totally denies this rumour," KNPP site director R S Sundar said after mysterious SMS messages about a blast having occurred spread.

The messages kept KNPP officials on tenterhooks as the plant is poised for commissioning soon amid continuing protests by anti-nuclear activists and local villagers, who are on an indefinite fast against the plant.

Work at the Indo-Russian joint venture project is on "full swing" with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa hoping that it would start generating power in another 10 days.

Anti-nuclear activists led by People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy were holding their fast at Idinthakarai near Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, the epicentre of protests since last August.

The protests citing safety concerns had stalled the commissioning of the project originally scheduled for last December, but the work resumed in full swing last month after the Tamil Nadu government's green signal to project.