If the State government gave a written request to stop exploration of oil from Kadiramangamal area in Pudukkottai district, the Centre would stop the work, Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said here on Saturday.
Addressing reporters after a door-to-door drive to enrol new members to Bharatiya Janata Party at Saralur area here, he said unwarranted fear had been created among the Kadiramangalam people. The State government should allay fears in the minds of people on oil exploration.
With international extremist outfits like IS active and the State having become one of its bases, the government should take steps to root out extremism, he said.
On the recent legislation of the Sri Lankan government to impose exorbitant fine on Indian fishermen who strayed into its waters, he said it was not acceptable. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been taking concrete measures to end the never- ending fishermen issue with Sri Lanka. The union government was taking measures to release 50 fishermen and 140 boats seized by Sri Lanka, he said.
Ridiculing the State government’s claim that the State was not reeling in drought, Mr. Radhakrishnan said was so explicit as only the drought situation forced the government to desilt all the waterbodies through ‘kudimaramathu’ scheme. Ironically, desilting operations were taken up in Mettur dam after 82 years, he added.
the party’s district vice-president Muthuraman and former Nagercoil Chairman Meena Dev accompanied the Minister.
