The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Karunanidhi slams demand to stop dredging

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 04, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Karunanidhi slams demand to stop dredging

Special Correspondent

Says Sethu project was thoroughly evaluated before being cleared

CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Saturday criticised Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for her demand to stop dredging operations of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP).

Mr. Karunanidhi said she had spun a "fanciful story", claiming that the dredging operations had destroyed marine life and affected fish catch in the area. He said people knew that the 150-year-old dream project was approved by the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute after investigations and appraisals by experts, scientists and technocrats.

Mr. Karunanidhi said even two days ago, a monitoring committee headed by chairman of the National Bio-diversity Authority, Kannaiyan, had inspected Nagapattinam, Kodikarai and Muthupet to review the impact of the dredging operations. The DMK chief said during his interaction with local fishermen, he had found that they were carrying out fishing without any difficulty. Union Minister T.R. Baalu, who is monitoring the progress of the project, had explained steps taken by his department, including financial allocation, for fishermen's welfare.

"The Chief Minister's statement had exposed her jealousy over the successful implementation of the project," Mr. Karunanidhi said. Anyone trying to scuttle the project would be doing great injustice to the future generation, as it would bring immense benefits to the State.

Politically motivated

Criticising Ms. Jayalalithaa for her statement that the dredging work should be stopped, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday said it had been made with a "political motive."

In a statement here, CPI (M) State secretary N. Varadarajan said the project was essential for the industrial development of the country and Tamil Nadu in particular. Hence it should be implemented. The implications of the project had been fully examined. If any new problem is anticipated, ways should be suggested to overcome it, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu