Build AFR facilities by 2022 for Kudankulam n-plant's spent fuel: SC
New Delhi, July 2: The Supreme Court on Monday extended, till 2022, the time for creating away-from-reactor (AFR) facilities to store Kudankulam nuclear power plant's spent fuel, currently kept within the plant.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud's decision came as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that AFR facilities will be created in the extended time being sought by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).
The earlier deadline came to an end on May 31.
The court was earlier told that the process to complete the AFR facility was going on and the spent nuclear fuel at present is stored in the Tamil Nadu plant's spent fuel storage bay, designed to survive earthquakes as per the specific site.
The court asked counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for original petitioner G. Sunderrajan, to move a separate plea as he said that the extension of time should not mean that the NCPIL have unrestricted nod for operating the plant and creating more spent fuel.
The apex court, by its 2013 judgment, gave the nod to operationalise the first unit of the plant with a direction to the government and NPCIL to submit a report on the compliance of all safety steps before the plant is commissioned.
It asked the government and the NPCIL to find suitably safe areas to dispose the nuclear waste and also issued guidelines on commissioning, safety and security and environmental issues concerning the nuclear plant.
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Siddaramaiah will resign as CM before Belagavi assembly session, claims K'taka BJP chief Vijayendra
Bengaluru, Nov 15: Karnataka state BJP president B Y Vijayendra has claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will "resign" before the Belagavi assembly session, which is likely in December.
He also alleged that horse-trading was taking place within the Congress.
“We have the information that some Congress top guns in the state are moving around with money bags purchasing the MLAs to unseat him. When we have the information then naturally the Chief Minister is also aware of it,” Vijayendra told reporters here.
"Since the CM and his family members are facing corruption cases, he is unable to level allegations against his own party leaders. Hence he has claimed that the BJP was trying to lure 50 Congress MLAs by offering Rs 50 crore each, to topple his government," the Shikaripura MLA claimed.
Vijayendra claimed that Siddaramaiah may resign soon after the Maharashtra election results.
Asked whether the state would have a new CM during the Belagavi assembly session, the BJP state chief said, “I don’t think we may not have to wait till that time. He will resign before that.”
“Now it is very clear that Siddaramaiah is about to resign his position. There is no doubt about it. Now the point is when he would resign and who would succeed him.”
Accusing the Congress leaders of indulging in "horse trading", Vijayendra said with 66 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly, the BJP is not in a position to do it.
“If there is anyone you should be afraid of is not the BJP, but those ministers around you.”
CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday had claimed that the BJP offered Rs 50 crore each to 50 Congress MLAs to topple his government but no one agreed for it.
