Chennai: Blaming the Centre`s "inaction" for
the stalemate over the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant issue,
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said her
government was firm on suspension of the work on the
controversial project till people`s concerns were addressed.
In a strongly-worded statement, she slammed the Centre
for doing little to allay the fears of the locals who have
threatened to intensify their agitation demanding closure of
the Indo-Russian joint venture citing safety concerns.
Jayalalithaa took exception to Minister of State in the PMO
V Narayanswamy`s statement that the Centre was still awaiting
state government`s response on the composition of the expert
committee, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised to
send to allay the fears of the locals, causing delay.
Describing Narayanaswamy`s remarks as "a deliberate attempt
to put the blame on state government", she said the minister
who was sent as an emissary of the Prime Minister to meet the
agitators had not taken any steps to allay their fears.
"One doubts if the Centre is working with the intention of
blaming the state government (over the stalemate). The people
are forced to take to protests including hunger strike since
the Centre has not suspended work at the power plant," she
said.
She said the Centre should take all steps to solve the
issues and "stop unnecessarily blaming the state government."
"The Centre has not taken any action despite assurances
from the Prime Minister," she said recalling Singh`s assurance
on the expert panel to the multi-party delegation led by
Finance Minister O Panneerselvam during their meeting
recently.
She said she had not received the two letters written by
Singh on this issue though it was reported in the media.
As a third time Chief Minister this was a "new experience,"
for her that though the Prime Minister claimed that he had
written to her, she "had not received them but the content of
which was reported in the media," Jayalalithaa said.
The Chief Minister said she was determined that the work on
the power project was put on hold till people`s fears were
allayed.
PTI
