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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today cleared the uncertainty over the Koodankulam nuclear project,stating that the first unit would be operational in a couple of weeks. India and Russia,however,did not sign any agreement for the third and fourth units of the plant.
After his talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin,he said at a joint press interaction that the second unit of the plant would be operationsal six months after that.
But the two countries today finalised the terms of reference for the Line of Credit for the third and fourth units.
Before the meeting,Russian officials were confident that the signing of agreements on third and fourth units would be done today.
Earlier,quoting Medvedev’s foreign affairs aide Sergei Prikhodko,local agencies had said the agreements on construction of two more units at KNPP would be signed after
the Kremlin talks.
Chief of Russian State Nuclear Cooperation ‘Rosatom’ Sergey Kiriyenko told reporters the agreement for the construction of the third and fourth units were not signed. Responding to the question when the Indian side would be ready to sign them,Kiriyenko said: I don’t know.
Both India and Russia are very clear that there is nothing to worry about the safety of the Koodankulam nuclear project, Singh said in reply to questions.
Singh noted there was an agitation questioning the safety of the plant. We are confident we will overcome the problem. We are sure the concerns would be adequately taken care of, he said. He said unit one and two were close to being operationalised.
Singh said the two countries were committed to implementing the roadmap on the Koodankulam project which India has agreed with Russia,an apparent reference to the construction of the third and fourth unit with Russian cooperation.
He said Russia is a time-tested partner of India’s nuclear programme. India and Russia are committed to a high level of safety, he said.
The Koodankulam plant is a nuclear power station currently under construction in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district. Project investment cost to India was estimated to be
Rs 13,615 crore.
In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan this year,there has been protest by locals in the villages surrounding Kudankulam against commissioning of the project on apprehensions of safety.
There have been talks between agitators and a government-appointed committee and the exercise is still inconclusive.
After the talks,India and Russia signed five agreements including one for technical assistance in the production of 42 Sukhoi-30MKIs.
