Russia uneasy on idle K-team

CHENNAI: In a new turn to the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) issue, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin on Tuesday said it would be difficult to allow his country’s nuclear experts to idle away their time for long at the project site view of the ongoing protests.Addressing a press conference here, Alexander Kadakin said nuclear scientists from his country assigned for the execution of the KKNPP were killing time as the project has been stalled for months due to protests. “I do not think that (Russian) experts can be allowed to idle away their time. Their expertise is in demand elsewhere,” he noted. In the same breath, he, however, said that his country would never pressure the Indian government over  the issue. “Russia is a time tested friend of India. When India was cornered after nuclear tests, Russia stood like a rock behind India.”Stating that the fructification of the KKNPP would bridge the electricity gap in Tamil Nadu, he expressed surprise over the sudden explosion of protests against it. Tracing the development of the project starting from the Indo-Russian accord of 1988, he wondered how agitations could sprout all of a sudden and wanted the Indians to make their own inferences on the “country” that could allegedly be “behind” the agitations. “However, these protests are an internal issue of India. We have nothing to do with it.” Allaying fears, he said the Fukushima plant in Japan, which witnessed an accident, was modelled on old technology. “The Koodankulam plant is the safest in the whole world and has top notch engineering,” he assured.Big honour for JayakanthanThe Russian envoy is in Chennai to present the “Order of Friendship Award”, to eminent Tamil novelist D Jayakanthan. The honour is the highest civilian award given to foreign nationals by Russia. It is given to foreigners who promote cultural ties between Russia and their countries. Jayakanthan was supposed to have received the honour last month from Russian President. Since he could not make it to Russia, it was decided to honour the writer in Chennai by the Russian authorities. Jayakanthan will be conferred the award on Wednesday by Alexander Kadakin.