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NT Bureau
New Delhi, May 28:
 

WARM WELCOME: Chief Minister M Karunanidhi being received by Union Minister T R Baalu on the former's arrival in New Delhi to take part in the Chief Ministers' conference in the capital.

        Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps for early commissioning of the first unit of the 1000 MW Koodankulam Atomic Power Project, being built with Russian assistance.

        In his address at the Chief Ministers' conference in New Delhi, a copy of which was released to the press today, he said it was learnt that the commissioning of the plant has been postponed by one year from December 2007 to December 2008. 'This atomic project was expected to meet the demand during the summer months of 2008. Due to this delay, the people of the State will be put to much hardship,' Karunanidhi said and urged the Prime Minister to see that the project was commissioned early.

        It may be recalled that Nuclear Power Corporation of India's project director S K Agarwal had said that the nuclear power plant was expected to be commissioned by December 2008 despite delays in the delivery of some key equipment. 'Though all major equipment, including pressure vessels have been received, those materials which were delayed have started coming from the Russian Federation and the situation will be under control shortly.'

        'The first unit of Koodankulam reactor was earlier scheduled to be commissioned in December 2007. There has been a delay in respect of certain materials urgently required for sequential construction activities, which are in a large quantity and require longer time,' Agarwal had said.

        'Amend Water Cess Act'

        Karunanidhi also urged the Prime Minister to bring in suitable amendments to the Water Cess Act, 1977, excluding thermal power stations from its purview.

        He said the amendments were necessary as levying sea water cess for the entire sea water drawn from the sea under the Act, resulted in heavy financial burden of Rs 6 crore per year on the Tamilnadu Electricity Board (TNEB).

        'But there is no specific mention about the consumption of sea water in the Water Cess Act or in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules of 1978,' he noted.

        The amendments should ensure that the thermal power stations should be excluded from the purview of the Act or to levy such water cess only for the acutal consumption of sea water utilised by the thermal power stations. He said sea water was being utilised for condenser cooling in the thermal stations in Tuticorin, north Chennai and Ennore and the water was let back into the sea after the cooling.

        'Only a small quantity of water is being consumed. But the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board is levying cess for the entire sea water drawn from the sea under the Act, resulting in financial burden on TNEB,' he pointed out.