A flash protest staged by the locals and land-losers at the main entrance of Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) on Monday forced the administration to put on hold recruitment of engineers that commenced on Sunday.
The locals urged the KKNPP to give preference to qualified local youth in employment in the upcoming nuclear park, where the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is operating 2x1,000 MWe nuclear reactors and constructing four more similar-capacity reactors with Russian assistance.
Though this demand is being raised ever since the NPCIL started constructing the first two reactors 20 years ago, only a few local youth were recruited.
Collector V. Vishnu discussed this issue with the KKNPP administration recently and set up a centre to equip the locals with the skills required by the NPCIL, major contractors constructing the reactors and the allied units.
Under these circumstances, the KKNPP planned recruitment of 34 engineers, for which 1,700 persons had applied. Based on the first round of selection, 170 candidates were called for personal interview on Monday and Tuesday (December 20 and 21).
As none from Koodankulam area was called for the interview, the locals gathered along with contract labourers in front of the KKNPP’s main gate and staged a protest that effectively prevented engineers from entering the plant.
Even though police were deployed and Superintendent of Police P. Saravanan held talks with the protesters, led by Koodankulam panchayat president Vincy Maniyarasan, they refused to relent till 11 a.m. Meanwhile, local body representatives from Koodankulam and adjoining areas also joined the protesters.
Tripartite peace talks were held at Radhapuram Taluk Office, in which Mr. Saravanan, the Cheranmahadevi Revenue Divisional Officer, KKNPP Site Director Manohar Godbole, Project Director (Reactors 5 and 6) M.S. Suresh, General Manager (Human Resources) Anbumani, District Panchayat chairman V.S.R. Jegadeesh, Ms. Vincy Maniyarasan, Vijayapathi panchayat president Sahayaraj and Irukkanthurai panchayat president Indra took part.
As the local body representatives were firm in their demand of giving employment to the locals, the KKNPP officials were forced to put on hold the recruitment, though the personal interview was conducted as planned on Monday.
“Since the KKNPP failed to recruit qualified people from the local community for various positions, the aggrieved youth started the protest. As the KKNPP has decided to put on hold the recruitment process and discuss it with the Collector, we have withdrawn the protest,” said Mr. Jegadeesh.
