The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : I am neither naive nor foolhardy: Baalu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 26, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

I am neither naive nor foolhardy: Baalu

Staff Reporter

`Jayalalithaa's charge on Sethusamudram project baseless'

MADURAI: "I am neither naive nor foolhardy" was the sharp reaction from the Union Minister for Shipping, T.R. Baalu, to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's charge of he having shown scant regard for environmental aspects relating to implementation of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP).

"It is not fair for the Chief Minister to pretend as if she had knowledge on an issue which she does not know at all," Mr. Baalu said when his attention was drawn to Ms. Jayalalithaa's charge that the project was being hastily implemented "subverting the environmental clearance process." "Probably, she has not been briefed by her officers," he told newspersons here on Saturday.

Mr. Baalu said that the Union Government was answerable not only to the nation but to the entire world and international environmentalists on the issue of maintaining maritime ecology. He also recalled his one-year term as the president of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

"Officials open to queries"

Mr. Baalu reiterated that he and his officials were open to any queries relating to implications regarding the environment and prospects of the fishing community on implementation of the project. All the media reports in recent years would certainly find a place in the official website of the project.

The Minister said he was only interested in the project that would bring pride and economic development to both Tamil Nadu and India. Displaying a copy of the invitation to mediapersons, he pointed out that the name of the Chief Minister was included in it. "We do not want to ignore any one." The Minister said he regretted that the Chief Minister levelled charges, attributing motives to him.

To a question, Mr. Baalu said protocol warranted the Chief Minister's presence during the Prime Minister's visit.

Choice of venue

On the choice of Madurai as the venue for the foundation laying ceremony, he said the organisers had the right to choose the venue. Besides, the transport connectivity of the temple city and various other reasons that could not be made public also favoured Madurai instead of the coastal areas, he said.

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