TN govt shelves satellite city project

Chennai, Sep 2 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced that his government has decided to shelve the project for seting up of a satellite city near here.

''This is being done after pondering over the advice of the fraternal parties given out of goodwill and as a measure of precaution that innocent public should not fall prey to a few selfish and evil forces planning blatant violence in the name of this project,'' the Chief Minister said in a statement.

The proposed project was strongly opposed by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a key ally in the DMK led Democratic Progressive Allaince (DPA). Party founder leader Dr S Ramadoss appealed to the government to drop the project, stating that it would displace thousands of poor families and farmers in South Chennai area.

Dr Ramadoss, suggested that the government could set up the satellite city on the outskirts of the city.

The project, aimed at decongesting the city, was incorporated in the DMK election manifesto, Governor's address and the Budget.

On August 31 also Mr Karunanidhi had made a suo motu statement in the House that the project would be implemented in an area of 30,000 acres of land ensuring that no one would be affected by this.

More UNI WS SB GC2127