Shortly after receiving Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Chennai airport on Sunday evening, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa went to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to him on six issues, including the Mullaperiyar dam, the National Food Security Bill, protection of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay and a special package for Tamil Nadu to overcome the present financial crisis.
The Chief Minister, along with Governor K. Rosaiah, walked up to the special aircraft to receive the Prime Minister, after he touched down around 6.40 p.m. She was accompanied by her Cabinet colleagues.
Union Minister M.K. Alagiri and Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam, representing the DMK, a constituent of the Congress-led UPA, also welcomed the Prime Minister. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan, the former presidents, E.V.K.S. Elangovan and K.V. Thangkabalu, and Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan were also present.
In her memorandum, Ms. Jayalalithaa urged Dr. Singh to advise the Kerala government to honour the Supreme Court's February 27, 2006 order, allowing the raising of the water level initially from 136 to 142 feet. She sought his intervention to make appropriate amendments to the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2006.
‘Withdraw notification'
Ms. Jayalalithaa said Dr. Singh should advise Kerala not to venture upon the construction of a new dam, since the retrofitted dam was safe and functioning well. Besides asking for the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force and removal of all encroachments in the leased area, she said the Prime Minister should order the National Disaster Management Authority to withdraw its notification forming a team of experts to prepare a contingency response plan.
She also wanted Tamil Nadu to be exempted from the purview of the proposed Food Security Bill. Ms. Jayalalithaa sought a special assistance package, similar to the one extended to West Bengal.
Dr. Singh will attend the inaugural ceremony of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of mathematics genius Srinivasa Ramanujan at the University of Madras on Monday. He will also declare 2012 as National Mathematics Year.
