The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Southern States to coordinate on extremist problem

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Friday, Jun 03, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Southern States to coordinate on extremist problem

Special Correspondent

Outline of policy to be of mutual help

HYDERABAD: Any State in the South faced with law and order problems such as extremist violence will hereafter be helped with replenishment of forces by a neighbouring State or States.

Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and the Union Territories of Pondicherry and Lakshadweep, which come under the purview of the South Zone Council, came to an understanding to this effect at the council's May 31 meeting at Pondicherry, held after a gap of eight years.

The meeting was attended, among others, by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa.

The meeting resolved that the council members must work in coordination with each other while tackling common problems such as extremist violence. Pending framing of rules and regulations on the replenishment of forces to a neighbouring State in distress, it was broadly agreed that the State which received forces should send them back to the helping State in 30 days.

Offer with conditions

The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, who chaired the meeting, announced that the Centre would not charge the States from now onwards if it helped them with its own forces. The offer, however, was subject to the condition that a request for Central forces should have a valid reason.

These details were provided here on Thursday by the Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, who attended the meeting along with Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, representing the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who could not make it.

Another common problem highlighted was that the Gas Authority of India had delayed utilisation by the South of the gas available in the Krishna-Godavari basin by not developing distribution network, thereby postponing operation of power projects.

The States signed power purchase agreements with these projects after GAIL made a "firm allocation" to them. But it failed to make supply.

GAIL met the needs of the projects "enjoying" firm allocation only to the extent of 62 per cent. States as a result were forced to pay fixed charges to the projects without taking any power from them.

Common complaints

Mr Rosaish said the participants complained against unscientific increase of gas and coal prices by the concerned Ministries and sought constitution of regulatory commissions for both. Mr Patil promised to take up the issue with the Prime Minister.

Andhra Pradesh did not raise inter-State water disputes at the meeting.

A plea made by Ms Jayalalithaa to hold the council's next meeting at Chennai was unanimously accepted.

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