Kudankulam units: Plea seekingscrapping of CRZ nod dismissed.

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal recently dismissed a petition filed by Poovulagin Nanbargal, a non-governmental organisation that sought the cancellation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) nod granted to four units of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).

Disposing of the application, the Bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member P.S. Rao said since the Supreme Court in 2013 had already dealt with the issue, the NGT Bench did not have jurisdiction over the case.

Poovulagin Nanbargal had filed an application against the four new units of KKNPP (units 3 to 6)) and challenged the CRZ clearance, arguing that the agency that gave the clearance was not an authorised entity. “Engineers India Ltd is not authorised to prepare consultancy reports for nuclear power plants. The main ground of this case relates to this part,” counsel for Poovulagin Nanbargal had argued.

In 2012, clearance was granted to the units to enable Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) to proceed with the necessary work to start building the plants.

Since the company which did the audit was not an accredited agency as required by law to grant clearances for a nuclear plant, the clearance should be quashed or a fresh review through a competent authority should be carried out, the counsel had said.

THE HINDU