The State government should form a department for safeguarding the interests of non-resident Tamils [who are citizens of India] and promoting Tamil language overseas.
An appeal to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was made at a meeting on Saturday to implement resolutions adopted at the valedictory of the World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore a week ago, according to an official release.
The meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister and attended by a host of Union and State Ministers and other dignitaries.
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In a chat with The Hindu, M. Rajendran, Tamil University Vice-Chancellor and one of the participants of the meeting, pointed out that the idea for establishing an exclusive wing for non-resident Tamils was based on the fact that Kerala had a Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department.
A draft law would be prepared in 10 days for according preference in employment to those who had pursued Tamil studies.
As for the proposed genetic gardens to be formed in five distinct geographical zones of the State, the Agriculture Secretary [K. Nanda Kishore] told the meeting that eminent agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan had been contacted. The five areas had been identified and the details would be furnished to the Chief Minister in two weeks.
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School Education Minister [Thangam Thennarasu] had been advised to take immediate action for incorporating the subject of classical Tamil in the curricula for schools and colleges/universities.
On the Sri Lankan Tamils question, it was stated at the meeting that the Chief Minister would write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Last week, Chief Secretary [K.S. Sripathi] had sent a letter to the External Affairs Secretary.
A debate could be initiated in Parliament on the basis of a resolution on making Tamil an official language at the Centre. Financial assistance for Tamil development and research would be sought from Centre after ascertaining the expenditure incurred by the Union government on other languages.
A reminder would be sent to the Centre on establishment of the Indian National Institute of Epigraphy in the State. It would reiterate the Chief Minister's request to the Prime Minister.
On the marine archaeological work in Poompuhar and Kumari continent, which were said to have been submerged, the meeting wanted a plan of action to be formulated. A letter would go from the Chief Minister to the Prime Minister, citing the materials available and a report prepared by Tamil University.
The work on building the Rs.100-crore flyover at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore should be expedited.
A panel of experts should be constituted to facilitate translation of Tamil literary works into other languages and those in other languages into Tamil. The proposed panel would also take care of writing Tamil books in different subjects such as science, technology, engineering, medicine and Tamil computing. Tamil University would be asked to design a training programme and implement it.