Tamil Nadu

“Hurdles coming in the way of developmental schemes”

M. Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said on Tuesday that there was invariably some impediment whenever any developmental scheme was announced by the government.

Commenting on the problems relating to the expansion of the Chennai airport, he said when such schemes were taken up in other States, there were not too many people who stood in the way.

Ahead of the proposed expansion of the airport, the government had called for a meeting of all political parties. It was in this meet that a decision was taken on the expansion.

Some of the land owners approached the courts and obtained a stay. This was the reason for the delay in the project taking off. “In events like this, by the time an appeal is filed and a judgement obtained, one has had enough. This is the real reason for the delay,” the Chief Minister said.

He added that it was not because the government wanted to favour one individual or the other.

Citing an example, he said when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government was in power in 1989-91, it had decided to construct a thermal power plant in north Chennai. Some of the lands in the area proposed for a thermal plant was owned by businessman V.G. Paneerdas.

Though the industrialist initially objected and met Mr. Karunanidhi, he agreed later and handed over the land after it was explained to him that this was a project that former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai wanted realised and that the project would help scores of poor.

Later, the then President R. Venkataraman laid the foundation stone for the project.

Hence, it was wrong to say that the government was favouring one individual or the other in this issue, Mr. Karunanidhi added.

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