The Hindu : Nanguneri hi-tech park project put into cold storage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Nanguneri hi-tech park project put into cold storage

By P. Sudhakar

Tirunelveli June 27. It's official now. The proposed hi-tech park project at Nanguneri, for which the foundation stone was laid in the previous DMK regime, has been put into cold storage by the State Government, which was exploring the possibilities of starting an "alternative and viable project" in the industrially backward district of Tirunelveli, according to the chairman of the Assembly Assurances Committee, L. Santhanam.

Addressing mediapersons after holding discussions with the district officials on the assurances given in the Assembly, Mr. Santhanam, in reply to a query on the fate of the much-hyped multi-crore project, said it did not find a place in the list of issues to be discussed and it was informed in the Assembly that the project was not feasible.

When steps were jointly initiated by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited and ATMAC Inc., a U.S.-based company, to give a final shape to the project, it raised hopes of employment opportunity to thousands of youth in the district. But the latest development has shattered their dream.

"Of the 75 assurances given in the Assembly in connection with the problems of Tirunelveli district, the officials have implemented 20 and the remaining pledges — most of them are related to drinking water — would be realised before year-end,'' Mr. Santhanam said.

Lauding the efforts of the Mines department, which initiated stringent action against illegal sand miners of the Nambiyar riverbed and collected a fine of Rs. 80 lakhs, Mr. Santhanam said the panel would submit its recommendations to the secretary and director concerned to prevent illegal sand mining in the riverbeds.

He also said the Kattabomman statue at Kayathar in Tuticorin district would be given a facelift and a small park would be created around it. The surroundings of the Agasthiyar Falls at Papanasam would be developed into a tourist-friendly spot, and the Tourism department had agreed to provide adequate funds to the Forest department, as the falls came under its jurisdiction.

The panel would visit the Madura Fabrics at Ambasamudhram to ascertain if the effluents let out by the textile company was within the permissible level, he said. When it was pointed out that despite a visit to the place last year by a similar committee, the villagers in the proximity of the company still complained of pollution of water resources by the effluents from the mill, he said "we will ask the company to be careful with the problems pertaining to the treatment of fabric effluents, which can be let out in the Tamiraparani only after treating it properly. If they fail to comply with our directive, we won't hesitate to recommend permanent closure of the unit."

The team later left for Ambasamudhram and Papanasam on their way to Courtallam, where it would "inspect the ongoing work of giving a face-lift to the ancient paintings of Chithrasabhai in the Kutraalanaathar temple."

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