Back
Andhra Pradesh
MLA vows to get landowners’ consent for titanium project
Staff Reporter
| Says most of them are willing to give land at market price |
Some parties oppose Tata project for political reasons
No villager would be relocated from their native place
TIRUNELVELI: Radhapuram MLA M. Appavu has vowed to obtain, by August 15, ‘letters of consent’ from landowners, expressing their willingness to give land for the titanium dioxide project to be established by the Tatas at Sattankulam in Tuticorin district.
In a memorandum forwarded to the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, Mr. Appavu said “considering the investor-friendly government in Tamil Nadu,” the Tatas had come forward to establish the Rs. 2,500-crore unit. While the Government was initiating steps to industrialise southern districts, some political parties were opposing the project for political reasons. “Hence the Chief Minister should revive the prospects of establishing the multi-crore project at Sattankulam as it would provide employment to thousands of educated unemployed youth of the region.”
He said most of the owners were prepared to give their land at market price.
Minister’s assurance
Mr. Appavu, along with Union Minister of State for Home V. Radhika Selvi, Tirunelveli Mayor A.L. Subramanian, Tirunelveli MLA N. Maalairaja and chairman of the district panchayat M. Graham Bell submitted another memorandum to Collector G. Prakash, on Wednesday, urging the Government to ahead with the project.
Speaking to reporters, Ms. Selvi said no villager would be relocated from their native place when the project was taken up.
‘Locals against project’
Chennai Special Correspondent writes:
The five-member committee deputed by actor-turned-politician R.Sarath Kumar to find out whether the locals were favouring the setting up of Titanium Dioxide project by Tatas, has stated that the project would adversely affect the local people.
Giving details of the report, Mr. Sarath Kumar told reporters on Tuesday that the locals, especially the farming community, were vehemently protesting against the Government’s move to make available 16,000 acres for the project.
He said the interaction by the Committee members with the local people revealed that they were not prepared to part with their land.
He explained that there was a feeling that the Government was trying to forcibly take away their land at a lower price and hand them over to the Tatas for mining purposes.
While he welcomed industrial progress in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Sarath Kumar said it should not be at the cost of the livelihood of the masses.
A 15-minute video clipping of the team’s interaction was screened at the press conference.
Video recording
He said copies of this video recording would be made available to the media and sent to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to elicit his response, before chalking out future course of action.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu