Fifteen people have undertaken an indefinite hunger strike at Idinthakarai to press for withdrawal of Tamil Nadu's green signal to the 1,000 MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP), among other demands.
The People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), which is spearheading the agitation against the atomic power plant, in a statement issued on Tuesday demanded the immediate release of arrested people, withdrawal of Tamil Nadu's cabinet resolution on Monday giving the green signal to KNPP; demanding a thorough study of geology, hydrology and oceanography around Kudankulam and the safety of the reactor; release of the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between India and Russia and conduct of safety and evacuation drills in the 30 km radius of the Kudankulam project.
"Some 5,000 women, men and children slept around St.Lourdes Church in Idinthakarai Monday night," PMANE said.
According to PMANE, over 210 people have been arrested by police in and around Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here.
A police official in Kudankulam said that the arrests, including that of PMANE leaders S. Sivasubramanian and Rajalingom, were made Monday. According to PMANE, the two have been charged with sedition and taken to Tirunelveli.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed by police in the area in and around Kudankulam and people are coming by boats to Idinthakarai, PMANE said.