Chennai, Oct 1 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, who is the legislator from Radhapuram constituency under which the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) is located, on Thursday demanded that the proposed spent fuel location be shifted from Kudankulam, as there was increased Chinese presence in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Interacting with media persons at Radhapuram, Appavu, asked about the consent given by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for spent fuel storage facility at Kundankulam, said that he opposed it, due to the increased Chinese presence in Sri Lanka.

When Sri Lanka was a friendly nation, the situation was different, he added.

"There is an increased Chinese presence in Sri Lanka and hence the Government of India should shift the proposed spent fuel location of the KKNPP to either the used gold mines at Kolar or at Thar district," he said.

Appavu said that ideally the spent fuel location should be shifted to an uninhabited area, warning that if any untoward incident happens, southern Tamil Nadu and southern parts of Kerala would be affected. He also said that a huge facility of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is located just 25 km from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

He said that in a democracy, the government should inform the people as to where the spent fuel is stocked till date and called upon the Central government not to expand the KKNPP by proceeding with the construction of its reactors 5 and 6.