: It would be better for the State government to heed the Madras High Court directive and let IAS officer U. Sagayam probe illegal mining, the former Union Minister, G.K. Vasan, said here on Wednesday.
Interacting with reporters, Mr. Vasan asked the government to constitute a panel to properly assess the damage caused by the current spell of torrential rains in various parts of the State and compensate adequately the loss suffered by farmers.
Paddy and other crops on thousands of acres have been inundated by flood caused by rains and quick action must be taken to save them, he urged. The panel must interact with affected farmers and representatives of farmers’ organisations in arriving at the compensation.
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Mr. Vasan felt that the new 12.36 per cent service tax slapped on money being sent home by overseas Indian workers would adversely affect them and those back home depending on them. The Centre must scrap the service tax move, he said.
Work on the Vikravandi-Thanjavur National Highway, as also the various ongoing railway projects, must be expedited for the benefit of the people of delta region, he said. He urged the Railway Board to allow the estimated two lakh applicants, who had not got their applications attested by competent officials, to appear for the Group IV exams. Most of those affected were from Tamil Nadu, he claimed.