The Hindu : Front Page : “Titanium project only after obtaining people’s views”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007
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“Titanium project only after obtaining people’s views”

Special Correspondent

Official team will conduct public hearing in the presence of media: Karunanidhi

“Project was to help the arid region to develop”
Jayalalithaa flayed for opposing the project

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced on Monday that the Tatas titanium dioxide project in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts would be taken up only after considering the views of people in those areas.

In a statement here, Mr. Karunanidhi said the project was considered to develop the backward districts

The Government’s intention was to help the arid region to develop. But, since some people were trying to create a make believe situation that there was opposition to it, the Government was sending a team, comprising Ministers and senior officials, to conduct a public hearing in the presence of the media.

Mr. Karunanidhi said after the report of the team was obtained, he would take a decision on the project, based on people’s wish.

If the project did not take off in that locality, the people should ponder over those responsible for the situation, he said in the four-page statement.

Criticising All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa for opposing the project, he asked what locus standi she had when her government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tatas on May 27, 2002 for setting up the project. The project did not take off then because garnet was illegally mined by one person, he alleged.

He said that the allegation that the government would have to pay Rs.200 crore to the Tatas if the project did not take off was not true. There was no such clause in the MoU.

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