10 December 2007
The Hindu
Cuddalore (TN) (PTI): PMK, an ally of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, on Monday asked the state government to give up the proposal to set up the Rs 6,000 crore private thermal power plant in Nochikaddu near here, as it would affect agricultural lands in an area of 60 sq.km.
“Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has stated in the Assembly that no project would be permitted without the consent of the people. Therefore, the government should ensure that his promise is kept up,” PMK founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss told reporters here after leading a protest by the villagers.
Ramadoss, who was largely instrumental in forcing the government to drop its plans for setting up a satellite township near Chennai and change the areas identified earlier for Chennai airport expansion project, suggested three other places — Cheyyur, Marakkanam and Jayamgondam — as ‘suitable’ locations for setting up thermal power stations without affecting agricultural lands and villages.
He also blamed ‘failure’ of the state government for the present power shortage, leading to power cuts.