Centre, State urged to scrap methane project
If the recent elections had brought a change in power at both the Centre and State, it would have been time for change, says Palani Manickam.
THANJAVUR, NAGAPATTINAM: Recently-elected Thanjavur MP and former union minister, S S Palani Manickam, on Friday came down heavily on the proposed hydrocarbon projects, saying it will ruin the Cauvery delta if implemented.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the district unit of the DMK to thank cadres who worked for the election campaign, Palani Manickam explained that they were not opposing the Hydrocarbon project to oppose the BJP. They were simply resisting a project that would destroy the delta.
"The DMK will come to power if party workers worked together for the next two years. Then, poll promises like waiver of loans to farmers, increasing the number of days of work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) will be fulfilled," he said.
"If the recent elections had brought a change in power at both the Centre and State, it would have been time for change. Though it did not happen this time over, the State will see a change in two years and the Centre in another five years. This is only a beginning," he concluded.
T.K.G. Neelamegam, recently elected MLA of Thanjavur, also spoke. Durai Chandrasekaran, district secretary of DMK (Thanjavur south) and M. Kalyanasundaram, district secretary of DMK (Thanjavur north) also participated.
Voices from Nagapattinam
Popular film director, Gowthaman, warned of aggressive protests, should the Central and Tamil Nadu governments implement the hydrocarbon and other anti-farmers projects in the state, especially in the Cauvery delta area.
Gowthaman, also founder president of the Tamil Perarasu party, visited the installation of oil pipes midway through the fertile lands by GAIL in between Madhaanam and Mamathaur village near Sirkazhi in Nagapattinam district on Friday.
He interacted with the affected farmers and also submitted a memorandum to Vijayakumaran, Superintendent of Police, Nagapattinam, seeking suitable action against GAIL officials and its contractors, and the local police for trespassing into fertile lands for laying pipelines at the behest of GAIL at Mudikandanallur village.
Later, talking to newsmen, Gowthaman said if both the Centre and State governments do not give up their anti-farmers projects, that there will be a statewide stir, as in the case of Jallikkattu issue.