With the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project expected by the month-end, anti-nuclear activists stepped up their protests and laid a siege to the plant from the sea today. The protesters including fishermen, laid the 'sea siege' positioning themselves in about 200 boats 500 metres away from the plant.

The protesters waved black flags and shouted slogans demanding scrapping of the plant.

However,response to the protest from fisherfolk was lukewarm fisherfolk compared to the earlier ones.This the third such protest by the anti-nuclear activists who are insisting on shutting down of the plant and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

A large posse of police in addition to several companies of CRPF and CISF has been deployed to keep a vigil in and around the plant.

AIR correspondent reports,the first unit of the project with capacity to produce 1000 MW was scheduled to be commissioned in December last year but had been delayed due to protests by locals on safety concerns.

Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy said yesterday in Tirunelveli that Atomic Regulatory Board officials were still inspecting the plant. A meeting of the Board officials was held on December 3rd, and order for commencing power generation would be issued before this month-end.