July 15, 2011
Special Correspondent
The Hindu
A public hearing held at Velingirayanpettai near here on Thursday on the proposed Rs 500-crore private ship building yard project was “a fiasco and meant to hoodwink the people on its utility and purpose,” according to K.Balakrishnan, CPI (M) MLA of Chidambaram constituency.
Lashing out at the way the session was held almost in a hush-hush manner, the MLA said that he participated in the proceedings uninvited because he kept the welfare of the people of his constituency uppermost in his mind.
Good Earth Shipbuilding Private Ltd. has already bought 700 acres of land through private agencies spreading across Silambimangalam and Velingirayanpettai.
Fishermen of Velingirayanpettai have been boycotting fishing for the past four days protesting against the proposed location of the ship building yard. It is their apprehension that when a channel is built for the vessels it would affect the tidal movement and fishing prospects.
The MLA urged Collector V.Amuthavalli, who presided the sitting, to cancel the session because it was not convened properly.
Ms. Amuthavalli said the entire proceedings were videographed and the recordings would be sent to the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for further action.
Lashes out at the way public hearing was held almost in a hush-hush manner