No truth in Karunanidhi's statement on Tata project

VILLUPURAM: Continuing his tirade against the proposed titanium-dioxide project of Tata Group at Sattankulam in Tuticorin district, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss today said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's statement that the project would not affect the area was false.
Ramadoss told reporters here that there was no need for a government team to elicit the opinion of local people since it was certain that the area would become a desert if the project was implemented.
He said a report submitted by local officials to the Collector on the project on September 26 last year had clearly stated that it would harm the environment and agriculture. The report had said that land should be dug upto eight metres for mining work and this would destroy agriculture in the area, the PMK leader said.
The report had warned of severe drought in the area if the project was implemented and said that local people would be forced to migrate in search of employment to other areas, Ramadoss said adding even the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had opposed the project saying that all plant life in the area would be wiped out.
The ruling DMK government had signed an MoU with the Tata Group to set up a titanium-dioxide factory at Sattankulam.
After stiff opposition from a key ally, the PMK and opposition parties -AIADMK and MDMK- the government had constituted a six-member committee to elicit the views of local people. PTI