Karunanidhi to Lanka: Don't rake up Kudankulam issue

[1]

DMK president M Karunanidhi slammed Sri Lanka on Tuesday for raking up the Koodankulam nuclear power project issue.

“The Koodankulam project was not something new, but was planned and started many years ago. The work on the project is progressing and an attempt is being made to rake up the issue now,” he said.

The DMK leader was responding to a question on Sri Lankan power and energy minister Champika Ranawaka, expressing concern over the possible radiation from India’s nuclear power plant, located in southern region. (Koodankulam nuclear plant, located on India’s southern coast, is about 250 km from Lanka’s northwest coastal town of Mannar).

Sri Lanka respected India’s right to have nuclear power stations, “but our concerns are on the possible radiation effects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter, “ the minister had said.
Asked what should be India’s stand, Mr Karunanidhi said, “Indian government will do what is required.”

He was talking to reporters in the Assembly lobby after signing the attendance register to keep his membership alive. He had been boycotting the assembly after the AIADMK came to power in May last and sign the register once in six months to keep his membership alive.

The DMK leader, who has been confined to wheelchair after he underwent a spine surgery, said he could not attend the session as there was no proper seating facility for him to attend the session.
“ We will think about it when they make the seating facility,” he said when asked whether he would attend the session if he was provided a proper seat.