The Madras High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the “disregard” shown for it by the Centre, state governments and petitioners in the Koodankulam nuclear power project. A division bench comprising Justice P Jyothimani and Justice P Devadoss said they would withdraw from hearing the case if the “indifference” continued. Without mentioning V Narayanasamy’s name, the high court questioned the statements made by “a Union minister” on the commissioning of the plant, while the case was pending in the high court. “He says the plant is going to be commissioned shortly. If that is the case, why come to the court?” asked the bench. Narayanasamy is MoS in charge of the PMO. Noting that atomic energy was directly under the PM, the court said the Centre had not attached enough seriousness to the case nor was it represented properly. “The Centre thinks only the Supreme Court is a court and that the Madras High Court is not a court at all,” said the judges. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, which gave a clean chit to the project, too came under fire. Pointing out that the board said the temperature of the water released from the power plant would be about 47 degrees Celsius, the court wondered whether marine life could survive in those conditions. The petitioners who had approached the court were criticised for filing one plea after the other which, according to the judges, was improper and anti-national. The high court also criticised the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for giving its nod to load nuclear fuel in the plant last week.