Vaiko to embark on campaign against Neutrino project in TN

MDMK general secretary Vaiko will embark on a three-day campaign against the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project in Theni District of Tamil Nadu from August 20. The proposed INO project will "destroy" the environment and water resources of the Western ghats and Theni district, the party alleged.

Anti Neutrino Movement's Lenin Rajappa, pro-Tamil activist Thirumurgan Gandhi, envirnoment NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal and farmers' association leader Cumbum Abbas will also take part in the campaign, the party said in a release here. The party listed the villages and towns where Vaiko will campaign against the project.

Andipatti, Chinnamanur, Cumbum, Gudalur, Thevaram are among the towns Vaiko will visit on August 20, 21 and 22, according to the party. The centre had last month said it has approved a project to build INO at Pottipuram in Theni district of Tamil Nadu.

The project aims to set up a 51000 ton Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector to observe naturally occurring atmospheric neutrinos in a cavern at the end of an approximately 2 km long tunnel in a mountain, according to the government. "The INO project does not disturb the ecosystem around the site and does not release any radiation, as it does not have any radioactive substance. It measures cosmic rays," the Centre had said.

There is no other neutrino detector anywhere in India now and ICAL at INO would be the first of its kind..