SC gives green signal to Kudankulam nuke plant

The Supreme Court on Monday gave  green signal to the commissioning of Kudankulam nuclear plant, saying the safety and security requirements have been taken care of and the project would benefit larger public interest. The court said that the apprehensions about public safety and environmental concerns have been allayed in view of the unanimous expert opinion.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said the Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu is safe and secure and it is necessary for larger public interest and economic growth of the country.

It said that nuclear power plants are needed in the country for the present and the future generations and for providing cheaper energy. The court said the authorities are concerned with the safety and security measures which is clear from the fact that 12 out of 17 such measures are already in place. It also laid down 15 guidelines on commissioning, safety and security and environmental issues concerning the plant. It said the central government, Tamil Nadu government and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, which operates the plant, and other regulatory bodies would make periodic monitoring of the plant.