India must send food items to starving Lankan Tamils: Ramadoss

Chennai, Mar 21 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss today urged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to prevail upon the Centre to send food items to starving Tamils in Sri Lanka.

In a statement here, the PMK leader, quoting a UN official, said more than 1.5 lakh Tamils, who had taken refugee in Mattakalappu area were starving to death and they required immediate medicine and food items.

To save them from starvation death, India should send food items and medicines, he said and wanted Mr Karunanidhi to take up the issue with the Centre.

As the food and medicines sent on the last occasion never reached the Tamils, India, this time, should directly send the consignment to Kankesanthurai port and ensure that they were distributed to the suffering Tamils through the Red Cross.

Dr Ramadoss said when he learnt about the UN official's statement on the immediate need for food items this afternoon through a TV channel news, he telephoned to Mr Karunanidhi and requested him to take necessary steps.

The Chief Minister assured him that he would take necessary steps, the PMK leader added.

UNI