The first weekend of January 2014 was special for us living in Idinthakarai, the coastal village most affected by the ill famed Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Our village was the venue for the National Convention of anti-nuke movements for two days. This sleepy fishing village has for the past 870 days been the epicenter of the resistance of people against the Nuclear Power Plant close to us that came without consulting or informing us. All of this may seem like old stories to many of you.But for us here just 2 kms away from the yellow domes now believed to guzzle out electricity, the story is still new and painful. We have not accepted the fact that we are to live near this virtual bomb, with no assurance given about security, safety or environmental impact especially on the ocean which sustains us.
This feeling of fear and anger is what made the two days special for us. It meant a lot to know that there are still many people and organizations in the country who care for us and our ongoing struggle. They all came to Idinthakarai and spent time with us to know more about our feelings and plans. The meetings were very serious and focused on the need to have a comprehensive Nuclear Policy for India that does not negate the democratic rights of people and communities. It shocks us that in countries like Germany a referendum is required from the local community before a nuclear facility is set up. And look at us, claiming to be the largest democracy in the world where communities and villages like us are still not informed about what is happening.
The meeting where friends and supporters from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and many other parts of the country joined was made special by the strong presence of Admiral Ramdas and Lalitha Ramdas. The clarity about the ongoing nuke- colonization of India and the need to demystify the all pervading quality of nuclear energy was the baseline of all discussions. We have understood over the years as the KKNPP started invading our lives that the nuclear establishment is begotten with lies and corruption, with outdated technology and unreliable safety and security features.
Continue reading at Koodankulam: An Unfettered Struggle
The following sentence in this article sobered me up: “The clarity about the ongoing nuke- colonization of India and the need to demystify the all pervading quality of nuclear energy was the baseline of all discussions” Indeed, what is taking place in India and elsewhere is “nuke-colonization.”