Date:20/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/20/stories/2005122004380300.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

Karat to dedicate houses to tsunami victims

Staff Reporter

CPI(M) has built them at a cost of Rs. 86 lakhs

ALAPPUZHA: Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat will dedicate the houses built by the party district's committee to tsunami-affected people of Arattupuzha at a public function at Perumbally on Thursday.

At a press conference here on Monday, CPI(M) district secretary G. Sudhakaran said the party had constructed 30 houses for tsunami victims. The party had spent nearly Rs. 86 lakhs on the work and another Rs. 8 lakhs on providing rice and other provisions to the affected people.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would be the chief guest at the function. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan and CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan would hand over the keys of the houses to the beneficiaries.

Mining

On the issue of mineral said mining from Arattupuzha, Mr. Sudhakran said the CPI(M) district committee had expressed its stand that mining should not be allowed.

The party would not cheat the public.

Mr. Sudhakaran said the incident of an advertisement of a mineral sand mining company appearing on a booklet published by AKG Study and Research Centre did not mean that the party had approved mining.

Mr. Sudhakaran said the Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran, who criticised the CPI(M) for accepting the advertisement, was not cooperating with anti-mining agitations being organised by the party.

The CPI(M) had cooperated with Mr. Sudheeran earlier when as MP, he organised agitations against mining.

Mr. Sudheeran withdrew himself from the agitation after he lost the previous Lok Sabha election, Mr. Sudhakaran added.