Coimbatore: As former President APJ Adbul
Kalam vouched for Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant`s safety,
CPI on Sunday said Kalam was a `nuclear man` and would only support
the KNPP.
"Former President A P J Abdul Kalam is a nuclear man and
would only support and advocate for the nuclear plant at
Koodankulam, which the villagers are opposing," CPI National
Secretary D Raja told reporters here.
Kalam was responsible for the Pokhran test when AB
Vajpayee was Prime Minister he said when reporters sought his
reaction on the ongoing agitation against the plant and the
move by Kalam to sort out the issue.
"Rest is for your imagination," he said.
As far as CPI was concerned, Raja said the party has
made it clear, when a delegation from Koodankulam met Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, that the safety of people and
surroundings was paramount before commissioning of the plant.
When it was pointed out that non-commissioning of the
plant within the timeframe would prove to be more dangerous,
as cautioned by Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Srikumar
Banerjee, he said CPI was also saying the same thing.
Before commissioning the plant, the Government should take
all safety measures, Raja said.
CPI has suggested constituting an expert panel, outside the
Government, to identify the possible risk and other aspects,
like storage and disposal of spent fuel, he said.
The plant, for that matter at any location, can be
commissioned, after pronouncing a comprehensive nuclear
policy, with total safety measures, which was lacking at
present, Raja added.
Kalam, on a mission to allay fears about the safety of
the nuclear plant, said at Koodankulam that it was `completely
safe` as it is located in a low frequency seismic zone, a view
rejected by the locals.
PTI
