The DMK, which has formed a committee headed by MP Kanimozhi to prepare its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, began its work here on Monday by inviting suggestions from the people.
At a meeting held at a private marriage hall on Tiruchendur Road, party functionaries, representatives of trade bodies, doctors, teachers, educationists, farmers, non-governmental organisations, fishermen, and members of the public from Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, and Ramanathapuram districts submitted their suggestions.
On behalf of the CITU, its Thoothukudi district secretary Russel submitted a memorandum that included allocation of sufficient funds by the Centre for outer harbor development of VOC Port, execution of Sethu Samudhram Ship Canal Project to accelerate the rapid development of east and west coast, filling vacancies in ports in Thoothukudi, Chennai, and Ennore, revival of Thoothukudi-Colombo cruise service, development of coastal tourism between Kochi and Thoothukudi by connecting Thiruvananthapuram, Kanniyakumari, and Tiruchendur, setting up a freight corridor between Thoothukudi and Chennai, introduction of more trains connecting Thoothukudi with Chennai, Coimbatore and Mumbai, heavy investment for non-polluting industries in southern districts and so on.
Mayor Jegan Periyasamy, in his memorandum, suggested construction of an overbridge at VMS Nagar, a trade centre in front of the Thoothukudi Fisheries College, introduction of one more train to Chennai in addition to Pearl City Express and establishment of a Kendriya Vidhyalaya and an Indian Institute of Technology in Thoothukudi.
Upgrade of Thoothukudi Airport, setting up desalination plant in Thoothukudi, boost to tourism industry, widening of the two-lane East Coast Road into four-lane highway and steps to protect matchbox and firecrackers industries were some of the demands made at the meeting.
Ministers P. Geetha Jeevan and Anita Radhakrishnan, MLAs G.V. Markandeyan, M.C. Shanmugaiah, Kadhar Batcha Muthuramalingam and others submitted their demands.
Ms. Kanimozhi said similar meetings would be held at nine places before submitting a report to the party high command at the earliest.
“Since the Union government is not at all bothered about the welfare of Tamil Nadu, no Central assistance has been released to assuage the agony of the flood-affected people. So, there is intense anger among the people who want to see change of guard at the Centre to take care of their wellbeing,” Ms. Kanimozhi said.
Minister for Information Technology P.T.R. Palanivel Thiyagarajan and other members of the committee were present.
The second meeting will be held at Kanniyakumari on February 6.
