<p> The protesters, on hearing of more workers entering the nuclear plant complex for essential maintenance, encircled those workers and forcibly took them to the Kudankulam police station.<br /><br /> The protesters’ relay fast at the Idinthakarai coastal hamlet entered the 117th day on Saturday. The emotionally charged situation got worse as hundreds of protesters marched towards the KNPP complex and picketed on the road leading to the plant. Top revenue and police officials rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitated villagers who want the 2000 MW plant which was built with Russian assistance to be scrapped. Following this incident, more police reinforcements have been mobilised. <br /><br />The anti-KNPP protestors reiterated their demand that apart from the permanent employees of the nuclear plant, no contract worker should be allowed into the complex. They wanted status quo to be maintained till December 15, when the next round of talks with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) appointed Experts team was scheduled, sources in Kudankulam said over the phone on Saturday evening.<br /><br />The protestors also demanded Tirunelveli District Revenue Officials monitor the number of staff daily entering the KNPP complex. Later on Saturday evening, KNPP Site Director said in a statement from Kudankulam that reports of ‘contract labourers’ having reached the plant site for restarting work at the instructions of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, were baseless. Only ‘minimal maintenance and surveillance activities’ were going on at the plant.</p>
<p> The protesters, on hearing of more workers entering the nuclear plant complex for essential maintenance, encircled those workers and forcibly took them to the Kudankulam police station.<br /><br /> The protesters’ relay fast at the Idinthakarai coastal hamlet entered the 117th day on Saturday. The emotionally charged situation got worse as hundreds of protesters marched towards the KNPP complex and picketed on the road leading to the plant. Top revenue and police officials rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitated villagers who want the 2000 MW plant which was built with Russian assistance to be scrapped. Following this incident, more police reinforcements have been mobilised. <br /><br />The anti-KNPP protestors reiterated their demand that apart from the permanent employees of the nuclear plant, no contract worker should be allowed into the complex. They wanted status quo to be maintained till December 15, when the next round of talks with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) appointed Experts team was scheduled, sources in Kudankulam said over the phone on Saturday evening.<br /><br />The protestors also demanded Tirunelveli District Revenue Officials monitor the number of staff daily entering the KNPP complex. Later on Saturday evening, KNPP Site Director said in a statement from Kudankulam that reports of ‘contract labourers’ having reached the plant site for restarting work at the instructions of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, were baseless. Only ‘minimal maintenance and surveillance activities’ were going on at the plant.</p>