New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS): The Supreme Court Monday asked NGOs Common Cause and Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) to first approach the prime minister or the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for addressing their concerns on the safety and cost effectiveness of nuclear plants being set up in the country.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia and Justice Swatanter Kumar said this to counsel Prashant Bhushan after he sought the court's direction to the central government to put on hold the nuclear plants being set up in the wake of the India-US nuclear deal till their safety and cost benefit analysis is carried out.

Chief Justice Kapadia, however, made it clear that if the petitioners have anything to say about an individual nuclear power plant, they can approach the high court of the state where the project is being set up.

The court adjourned the matter till Friday after Bhushan said that former chairman of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board A. Gopalakrishnan had written several letters to the PM on the safety of nuclear plants.