The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : There is nothing controversial about Hogenakkal water project: Tripathy

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

There is nothing controversial about Hogenakkal water project: Tripathy

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: There is nothing controversial about the Hogenakkal drinking water project, one of those funded by Japanese loans, Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy said Tuesday.

At the inauguration of a photo exhibition to mark the golden jubilee of Japanese Overseas Development Assistance loans to India here, he said there was an urgent need to provide potable water to 3 million people who suffer because the groundwater in the Hogenakkal area is contaminated with fluoride.

“Young children start losing teeth. Hands, legs and limbs get crippled by drinking the groundwater,” he said. The no-objection certificates have been obtained for the project that will be executed as per the water-sharing agreements.

“Twelve projects have been supported by Japanese Overseas Development Assistance loans in Tamil Nadu, and the Chennai Metro project will soon be added to the list,” said Hidetoshi Irigaki, Chief Representative of the Japan Bank of International Cooperation. “Under the Tamil Nadu afforestation project, funded by Japanese loans, 1,87,000 hectares has so far been covered,” said Mr. Tripathy. “Japan has been the largest bilateral donor to India for more than a decade,” said Mr. Irigaki. “A total of ¥2,902 billion, amounting to Rs. 115,000 crore, has been committed so far,” he said.

“Since 2004, India is the largest recipient of the ODA loans in terms of annual commitment.” He said the current focus of the loans was on infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

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