Koodankulam plant: Fishermen observe 'black day'

Koodankulam: As part of their protest against the nuclear power plant here, fishermen from coastal belt in the region on Monday observed the World Fisheries Day as 'black day' with black coloured flags and festoons on their boats.

Fishermen of Idindakarai, the epicentre of the over three-month long protests by locals demanding scrapping of the Indo-Russian project, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari also held black flag demonstrations, raising slogans against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

Meanwhile, the relay fast by locals, demanding scrapping of the project citing safety concerns, entered its 35th day today.

Pushparayon, convenor of the Anti-Nuclear Energy movement, said they were now contemplating about the next stage of the stir in wake of the "failure" of talks between the Central and state government-appointed committees.

Pushparayon, also a member representing the agitators on the state government panel, claimed that people's support to the movement was intact and there was no division.

In a counter-protest, about 100 supporters of KNPP also held a demonstration at Valliyoor demanding commissioning of the plant.

Sathyaseelan, a leader of the KNPP Supporting People's Movement, said though the initial response to their movement was meagre, "more and more people from other belts are now extending their support".

PTI