The agitation against the nuclear power plant at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu took a turn for the worse yesterday, after a fisherman was killed in police firing in neighbouring Thoothukudi district. Our Correspondent reports that near the plant site, police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse protesting villagers who had laid a siege to the plant in a last-ditch effort to stop its commissioning. Our correspondent reports that an uneasy calm prevails over Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts near the Koodankulam nuclear plant. The death of a fisherman in police firing has increased the tension in the area with protesters deciding to intensify their protests. In Idinthakarai protesters have started a 48 hour fast. To avert any untoward incident, police has sealed off the entire area around the Koodankulam Nuclear plant. The local people are indeed confused whether to believe the central and state governments or their local leaders regarding the safety of Koodankulam nuclear plant.
The Tamilnadu Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalithaa has appealed to the protestors and the people not to resort to violent activities in the Koodankulam issue. In a statement released in Chennai yesterday,Ms.Jayalalithaa said that the nuclear plant was absolutely safe and that there was no need for anyone to worry about it.