Radhapuram channel tail-end area farmers, who submitted petition to Tirunelveli District Collector Anand Mohan on Monday, seeking comprehensive study on the impact of blasting of rocks in the stone quarries around Kudankulam.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Radhapuram channel tail-end area farmers have appealed to Tirunelveli District Collector R. Anand Mohan to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of rock blasting in stone quarries around Kudankulam on the reactors of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).In a petition submitted during the weekly grievances redress meeting at the Collectorate on Monday, the farmers said the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), while operating two nuclear reactors with a total generation capacity of 2,000 MW, was constructing four more reactors of similar capacity at KKNPP.The petitioners said that stone quarries mining rough stones in the Kudankulam area was using explosives for blasting rocks, triggering shock waves in all directions every day and affecting structures around the quarries.Since nuclear reactors are highly sensitive installations, the explosions carried out for quarrying rough stones could affect the two operational reactors as well as the four reactors under construction, they claimed.The farmers urged the Collector to conduct a comprehensive study by experts on quarry operations, rock blasting and the KKNPP reactors to assess the impact of the explosions.“Until this survey is completed, the district administration should not grant permission for any new stone quarries around KKNPP,” said P. Sundaralingam, president of the association.Another group of farmers from the Manur area submitted a petition seeking compensation for the black gram crop loss suffered during 2025-26. They urged the Tamil Nadu government to disburse crop insurance benefits and provide compensation for losses caused by unseasonal rain.During the grievances redress meeting, Mr. Anand Mohan distributed welfare assistance, including a battery-operated wheelchair to a person with disabilities and agricultural inputs to five beneficiaries.District Revenue Officer S. Vidhya was present. Published - August 03, 2026 07:28 pm IST
