'Sub-standard equipment used in Kudankulam plant'

New Delhi: An anti-nuclear activist on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the Centre from commissioning the Kudankulam nuclear plant alleging that sub-standard equipment have been used in the plant making it unsafe.

The petitioner, on whose plea against the plant the apex court has reserved its verdict, filed an application alleging that new "revelation" has come to light which raises questions on the safety of the plant.

G Sundarrajan said in his application that "disturbing developments" have come to light since the judgement was reserved in December and alleged the Russian security agency arrested the procurement director of the company Zio-Podolsk, which had supplied equipment to the plant, on the charge of sourcing sub-standard steel blanks instead of the prescribed quality of steel.

"Equipment manufactured with cheap Ukrainian steel have been used in nuclear reactors built by the Russians in Russia, Bulgaria, Iran, China and India. The dangers of such substandard equipment and construction became evident on July 17, 2011, when the containment building of the Leningrad NPP-2 reactor that was under construction collapsed exposing the crumbling of steel structures," the application said.

He alleged the Centre is aware of this development and that is why it is not commissioning the plant. "The government has refused to share any information with the public on the above aspects even though this issue vitally concerns the public, especially the safety of millions of people living in that region where plant is located.

"But now, it has come to light through international media reports that one of the major reasons for non-commissioning of the plant is because of the failure of sub-standard equipment and components which have been used in the plant," he said.

Following marathon arguments spanning the last three months, a bench of justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra had reserved its order on December 6 on the plea that questioned the safety and security of people, environmental impact and other issues linked to the controversial plant.