The Hindu : `Garden of Peace' in Chennai

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`Garden of Peace' in Chennai

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI March 9. A unique `Garden of Peace' with a statue symbolising communal and cultural harmony will come up on the outskirts of Chennai.

``Just as the Statue of Liberty symbolises the spirit of American freedom and democracy,'' the Garden of peace, comprising a convention hall, library, book store containing religious books, would be made ``a living embodiment of universal peace,'' the Governor, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, told the Assembly here.

Vocational training centres in all districts, an `annadhanam' scheme to provide free lunch to devotees in select temples with donor participation, a mission to improve horticulture and fisheries and a Rs. 93-crore scheme for cattle and buffalo breeding were among the highlights of the Governor's address.

New health policy

A new health policy, promoting private participation in providing medicare and development of alternative systems of medicines such as ayurveda, siddha, unani and acupuncture therapy, would be formulated.

The Government would urge the Centre to implement the Peninsular River Water Grid scheme and connect all southern rivers _ from the Mahanadhi to the Vaigai.

Also, the Centre would be asked to come up with a project to link up Pamba, Achankoil and Vaippar for developing irrigation systems in southern Tamil Nadu.

As for the Cauvery issue, the State Government would press for setting up a technical committee to monitor the implementation of the interim award of the Tribunal.

The Centre should take an ``impartial view'' on the Cauvery issue, the Governor said.

The State Government will plead before the Supreme Court to allow it to raise the storage level of the Mullai Periyar dam to 142 ft initially and later to the full height of 152 ft.

While fully backing the Centre's initiatives to come up with a national law against terrorism, the State Government would oppose any move to allow the banned LTTE to conduct negotiations with the Sri Lankan Government in any part of Tamil Nadu.

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