CHENNAI: The Government will establish Information Technology (IT) parks in five cities — Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi, Salem and Tirunelveli — as part of its efforts to spread the IT revolution to other parts of the State, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said on Monday.

Replying to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member C. Shanmugavelu, Mr. Karunanidhi said the Government had already issued a G.O. to take back 29.08-acre land from Coimbatore Government Medical College and transfer it to ELCOT. It had also decided to identify additional land to be acquired for the purpose.

With regard to setting up of IT parks in four other cities, the Collectors had already commenced the work of identifying land. The Government would not acquire cultivable land. It would take steps to establish IT parks in other towns in a phased manner, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Expert committee

Revenue Minister I. Periasamy said the Government had been taking efforts to set up seismological centres at Kanyakumari, Rameswaram, Cuddalore and Chennai. An expert committee had been asked to give its recommendations on forecasting natural disasters as the State fell under seismic zone 2 and 3.

Responding to questions from V. Sivapunniam (Communist Party of India) and Kovai Thangam (Congress), Mr. Peirasamy said Anna University, along with the National Institute of Ocean Technology, was researching on changes taking place in the ocean and disseminating their findings to the public through electronic and print media.

A total of 52 disaster forecast centres had been established in the State, he said. Steps had been taken to grow mangrove forests along the coastline, which could act as windbreaks to protect the structures in the coastal areas.

Replying to C. Gnanasekaran (Congress), Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy said the Government was not in a position to reserve seats for the heirs of freedom fighters in engineering and medical colleges, in view of the November 1, 2002 order of a five-judge Bench of the High Court.

Mr. Gnanasekaran pleaded with the Government to take steps to reserve seats for the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the freedom fighters.

"Enhance facilities"

Responding to N. Nanmaran (Communist Party of India-Marxist)'s plea for enhancing facilities at the workshops of State Transport Corporations, Transport Minister K.N. Nehru said such projects could be taken up if members released funds from their constituency development fund.

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