The Kudankulam atomic power project is expected to be commissioned in September, capping months of delays due to non-availability of equipment and anti-nuclear protests.

India's nuclear regulator is inspecting the first 1,000 MW unit of the nearly Rs. 16,000 crore project, being developed with Russian collaboration, and is expected to give its report in the next few days.

Activists citing concerns about the fate of local residents in the event of an accident at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant received a boost from an unexpected source with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh questioning the Department of Atomic Energy’s decision to waive its legal right to claim damages against the NPP’s Russian suppliers.

On Thursday, NDTV disclosed that Dr. Singh, who is also the Minister for Atomic Energy, has objected to a request by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. — the operator of the Kudankulam facility — to waive its right to recourse under Section 17 of the Nuclear Liability Act if an accident in the yet-to-be-built units 3 and 4 results from faulty equipment.

Things are going on smoothly and the loading of enriched uranium fuel into the first reactor at Kudankulam is expected to begin by the middle of this month.

This was stated by Chairman and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) K.C. Purohit. “Our inspection [of the reactor pressure vessel] is almost complete,” he said from Mumbai. “We will submit our observations and reports to a committee of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and load the fuel based on its decision.”

Minister inspects saplings nourished under drip irrigation

Forest Minister K. T. Patchaimal on Thursday visited a few spots in the district that were covered under the Massive Tree Sapling Programme, which was inaugurated in connection with the Chief Minister’s birthday. As it has been proposed to plant 3 lakh seedlings – 2.25 lakh saplings by the Social Forestry Division and 75,000 seedlings by the Tirunelveli forest division - in the district under this programme, around 7,000 neem, pungan, badam, teak, bamboo, kumil, vaagai and poovarsu saplings have been planted in three places.

The Madras High Court on Thursday reserved orders on a batch of writ petitions for and against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in Tirunelveli district.

A specially-constituted Division Bench, comprising Justices P. Jyothimani and M. Duraiswamy, reserved orders after the conclusion of arguments. In its written submissions before the court, the Fisherman Care of Old Pallavaram here alleged that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) had not ubstantially fulfilled many of the conditions stipulated by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board while giving consent for establishing the plant.

“The board gave the consent after fully satisfying itself”

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) gave its consent for operating the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project on July 23, its counsel submitted before the Madras High Court on Wednesday. During the resumed hearing of a batch of petitions before a specially-constituted Division Bench, comprising Justices P. Jyothimani and M. Duraiswamy, counsel Rita Chandrasekar said that the board gave the consent after fully satisfying itself and due inspection.

Mayor denies charges of AIADMK councillor regarding water project in 3 wards

The Corporation council that met here on Monday witnessed some embarrassing moments after a ruling party councillor raised objections over the urban civic body’s decision to complete work of one of the ongoing major drinking water schemes on an early note. Raising the issue in the council meeting, member Gomathinayagam of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam told the Mayor that she should have accorded highest priority for completing the work on the drinking water project meant for wards 8, 9 and 10.

Production of electricity from the Koodankulam nuclear power plant could start within the next month, according to Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy.

Speaking at the airport, en route to his customary weekend visit to Puducherry on Saturday, Narayanasamy said that the safety committee appointed by the Centre was “almost done” with their inspection.

Following the Supreme Court order, State wildlife authorities on Wednesday, banned tourism in the three tiger reserves of Mudumalai in Udhagamandalam, Anamalai near Pollachi, and Kalakkad – Mundanthurai in Tirunelveli district.

Officials in the forest headquarters said the field directors of the three tiger reserves have been asked to instruct the district forest officers concerned to stop allowing tourists till the apex court passes further judgement. Incidentally, the core tiger habitat in Mudumalai, which includes Theppakadu elephant camp, and Anamalai, where Top Slip is, are the core tourist spots thronged by several thousands of tourists every year.