Sethusamudram project will bring prosperity to Tamil Nadu when implemented, said M. Karunanidhi, DMK president, here on Saturday.
Speaking at a public meeting organised by the Tiruvarur District unit of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to celebrate his birthday, Mr. Karunanidhi said that besides Tuticorin Port, the other ports such as Nagapattinam and Cuddalore will develop into major ports. Tamil Nadu will get international trade link. The project will fetch good foreign exchange to the country. “When so many benefits are there, why should not the project be implemented?,” Karunanidhi asked.
“It is a dream project of Periyar, Annadurai, and supported by MGR. DMK will not rest until the project is implemented,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
The UPA Government at the Centre had agreed to implement allotted funds also. Work had started. But some forces in Tamil Nadu had put a spoke in the project. The forces, conservative in their attitude, were saying that it was a bridge built by Lord Ram and hence should not be disturbed. The State government had gone to court even after the Centre had spent thousands of crores of rupees. He appealed to State and the Centre to implement the project. He cautioned that it would be against the wishes of crores of people of Tamil Nadu if they stopped the project.
He said that in Sangam literature Pattinappaalai describes about valuable products traded through ports and sea routes in Tamil Nadu. “Tamil Nadu should once again become such a fertile maritime State. For that Sethudamudram project is the only answer,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
T.R. Baalu, S.S. Palanimanickam, and A.K.S. Vijayan, all MPs, former ministers Durai Murugan, K.N. Nehru, Azhagu Thirunavukarasu, and Mathivanan were present.
