Steps are being taken to acquire land for the third and fourth phases of the project to link the Tamiraparani-Karumeniyar-Nambiyar rivers, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Monday.
The order was issued under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, she said in a statement, in response to DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s remarks.
She explained how the execution of the project was expedited after she took over in May 2011, though it was during the DMK regime (2006-2011) that an order was issued in 2008 for its implementation in four phases.
As for the Mayanur barrage work, she said that though the DMK regime had sanctioned Rs. 189 crore, Rs. 96 was spent. Various works, including construction and installation of shutters, were not taken up. It was she who approved the revised estimate of Rs. 234 crore. In the last three years, all works were carried out, and she declared open the barrage on June 25.
‘Doing little’Ms. Jayalalalithaa criticised Mr. Karunanidhi for “doing little” for the interlinking of peninsular rivers when he was in power between 2006 and 2011.