Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday told the Assembly that she will not rest till Katchatheevu is retrieved to defend livelihood rights of fishermen.
Referring to Communist Party of India (CPI) flood leader M. Arumugham's remark during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, the Chief Minister referred to the steps taken by her party on the issue.
She, in her capacity as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court. On the basis of a resolution adopted by the Assembly, the State Revenue Department had impleaded itself in the case.
Cyclone relief
As for the Centre's sanction of Rs.500 crore to the State for relief works in cyclone-hit areas, she said that the State government, from day one, had been urging it to allot funds for the works. There was no response or financial assistance from the Centre.
As the State government felt that there was no point in waiting, it set apart Rs.850 crore for the relief works and began executing them. Only after it issued an advertisement in dailies, calling upon people to contribute as there was paucity of funds, did the Centre, on the same evening, perhaps out of endorsement, announce its decision to provide Rs.500 crore.
N. R. Rengarajan (Congress) responded that what the Centre had released funds only for interim relief.
During a recent meeting, legislators of the Congress had impressed upon Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan to use his good offices with the Centre for securing more funds for the State.
The Chief Minister replied that she was not complaining about the Congress legislators, who also wanted to help the State.
But, the Central government and people like [Union Home Minister] P. Chidambaram, who were elected by people of the State, were “deliberately ignoring” the State.
