The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Jayalalithaa put on hold Hogenakkal project: Stalin

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Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Jayalalithaa put on hold Hogenakkal project: Stalin

Staff Reporter

‘It will be implemented well before 2012’

— Photo: N. Bashkaran.

Vote for him: Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin campaigning for DMK candidate R. Thamaraiselvan at Papparapatti in Dharmapuri district on Monday.

PALACODE (DHARMAPURI): The Hogenakkal Drinking Water Project was put on hold by the previous AIADMK Government headed by Jayalalithaa, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin said here on Monday.

Mr. Stalin was campaigning in Dharmapuri district for the DMK candidate R. Thamaraiselvan.

Addressing a gathering at Palacode and Karimangalam, he denied the allegation of the AIADMK and the PMK that the DMK Government put the project on hold.

He said the DMK Government took the initiative to prepare a detailed plan for the project in 1996. The plan was prepared at Rs. 576 crore and sent to the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation. At that time the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre conducted the nuclear test, which led to the United States and other European countries slapping economic sanctions on India, he said.

“It is true that the project could not move forward because of the sanctions. But when the AIADMK came to power, if she (Jayalalithaa) had real concern towards the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri people, she should have made efforts to implement the project. But now, when the project has taken a final shape with the floating of international bidding, she vows to implement it,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said as per the schedule, the Hogenakkal project would be implemented well before 2012.

He asked voters to keep in mind the good works of the DMK Government. “If we have to continue the ongoing development projects, a stable government at the Centre is the need of the hour.”

He appealed to the electorate to vote for the DMK alliance to provide a stable government at the Centre.

About 100 people from the PMK and AIADMK joined DMK at Karimangalam.

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