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The petitioner is an Advocate and he is actively associated with "Poovulagin Nanbargal" (Friends of Globe), a registered Public Trust, advancing the cause such as protection of environment and forests and has filed this writ petition as a Public Interest Litigation praying for the issuance of a writ of mandamus forbearing the respondents from running Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) (Units I and II), Kalpakkam, Kanchipuram District, without first obtaining Environmental Clearance.

2.The petitioner, subsequently, filed M.P.No.2/2013 praying for amendment of the prayer as "writ of mandamus forbearing the respondents from running MAPS (Units I and II), Kalpakkam, Kanchipuram District without first implementing NPCIL Task Force report of March, 2011, and AERB Committee report of August, 2011, and obtaining Environment Clearance with regard to MAPS in accordance with law".

3.The petitioner in his affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, averred that MAPS is located at Kalpakkam, which is about 70 kms away from Chennai City, and it consists of two Units i.e., MAPS-I, which went critical during the year 1983 and MAPS-II, which went critical in the year 1985, and at Kalpakkam, there are seven nuclear organisations including MAPS, viz. Bharatiya Nambhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (HQ), Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, PFBR Project (IGCAR), Nuclear Desalination Demonstration Plant (BARC), Kalpakkam Fuel Reprocessing Plant (BARC) and General Services Organisation, and MAPS generates 440 MWe of electricity from the above said two reactors and the petitioner has learnt that the Union of India has plans for an additional 500 MWe in MAPS.

"Ans. AERB is aware of the information in the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program official website about the reported volcano (in 1757) located at about 100-110 km from Kalpakkam with status uncertain. However, the said volcanic event was reported in the 18th century without enough scientific evidences. To gather further details in this regard, AERB contacted national agencies that might possess or have access to related data and expertise in the domain. The agencies contacted include Geological Survey of India (GSI), National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) of India Ltd.

Based on the above feedback, AERB has asked the utilities at Kalpakkam to undertake detailed study through expert agencies. The work in this regard is in progress."

32.As per the information, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has asked the utilities at Kalpakkam, where, MAPS  Units I and II are functioning, to undertake a detailed study through expert agencies and the work in this regard, is in progress and as and when the report is submitted to AERB, this Court is of the view that necessary instructions should be issued to meet out any eventuality on account of eruption of submarine volcano, which, according to the petitioner, happened in the year 1757. Even as per the answer to Question No.6, the said volcano event was without any scientific evidence and the Geological Survey of India earlier negated the existence of volcano activities at the said location and their surveys so far, neither indicate any signature of volcano eruption in the sediments, nor existence of any ephemeral island said to have formed due to the said event and the seismic data and wells drilled by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India Ltd., in the vicinity did not indicate any volcanic intrusion. In spite of that, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has asked for further details and it is in progress and therefore, it cannot be said that the eventuality that may occur on account of eruption of submarine volcano, has not been taken into consideration by the concerned authority. In view of the same, the apprehension expressed by the petitioner, is unfounded.