-The Hindu Petition says plant should be governed by principle of ‘absolute liability, polluter pays’ A fresh writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, contending that the Kudankulam nuclear power plant could not be commissioned without resolving the issue of Russia’s liability in case of an accident. The public interest litigation petition sought a declaration that the plant, in Tirunelveli district, would be governed by the law of the land, as...

-Reuters Food prices for consumers accelerated to 12.03% in August from 11.53% in July India's annual Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) picked up in August to 10.03%, driven by a rise in food prices, government data showed on Tuesday. India's retail inflation is the highest among the Brics group of emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa - and is way above what the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) calls its comfort...

-The Hindu Ongoing agitation in Kudankulam illustrates how State criminalises popular protest To what extent will the State go to criminalise an agitation, especially a prolonged popular struggle against a project seen by the government as a vital necessity, but as a hazard by the people living in its vicinity? It will charge the protesters with grave offences such as “waging war” and “sedition” regardless of whether there is any basis. The ongoing...

-PTI The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay loading of fuel for the nuclear power plant at Kudankulam but agreed to examine the risk associated with the project, saying safety of people living in its vicinity is of prime concern. “Public safety is of prime importance. There are poor people living in the vicinity of the plant and they should know that there life would be protected,” a bench of justices...

-The Hindu Based on ground-level report of the 7-member AERB teams carrying scrutiny at the plant The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on Thursday said the fuel loading at the first 1000 MWe unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) had not yet begun owing to last minute checks. The AERB would give the final clearance for fuel loading only after a review of the ground-level report of its seven-member team carrying...