TIRUCHI: The Centre should think of an appropriate solution to end the war in Sri Lanka and take urgent steps to bring peace to the island nation, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said, "This is not only my plea but also the expectation of the people of Tamil Nadu."

Asked whether he would put forward any suggestion to the Centre, Mr. Karunanidhi said he would express his views when an opportunity came up for consultation with the Prime Minister. Sending a parliamentary fact-finding committee to Sri Lanka would not yield the desired result. Mr. Karunanidhi indicated that elections to cooperative societies would be held after January. The demand for constituting a separate election commission for conducting the polls would be considered.

On the Mullaperiyar dam issue, Mr. Karunanidhi hoped that the Centre would take steps for talks between the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments. "We have forwarded the resolution adopted at the recent all-party meeting to the Centre and the Kerala Government. The Centre should take steps for holding negotiations."

On the reported statement of Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss that the all-party meeting had served no purpose, Mr. Karunanidhi observed that Dr. Ramadoss's remark had been wrongly projected in the media. The PMK leader had only said that there had been no positive result even after holding an all-party meeting.

No bus fare hike

Mr. Karunanidhi said there was no plan to hike bus fares.

"Would you expect a party like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which fights for people's issues, to say that the prices should not be brought down?" he asked, when queried on whether his Government would press for a reduction in petrol and diesel prices. Answering a query on police reforms, Mr. Karunanidhi said his Government would take action as soon as the recommendations of the committee set up to look into the issue were received.

On establishing a TIDEL Park in Tiruchi, he said his government had announced schemes for industrialisation of tier two cities such as Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli in its budget.

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