The working president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) M.K. Stalin visited the TANTEA Estate in Tiger Hill in Coonoor on Monday, and reiterated his earlier allegation that State Ministers had been working with timber merchants to cut down 30,000 silver oak trees and make money from their sale.
Speaking to reporters in Coonoor, Mr. Stalin claimed that the cutting down of the trees would have an impact on the environment in the Nilgiris and would also hit tea production adversely. He had levelled the same allegations during a public meeting held in Udhagamandalam on Sunday evening.
Mr. Stalin said that indigenous tree species have also been numbered to be cut down and sold, adding that the State Ministers were acting in collusion with government and forest officials. “A proper tender was not issued for the cutting down of the trees, and the Ministers as well as officials tried to make crores of rupees. I was informed of the scam and released a statement and also raised the issue in the legislative assembly, following which the plans to cut the trees were stopped,” said Mr. Stalin.
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On release of water from the Mettur dam to irrigate crops in the delta region, he said it was too little and too late and added that the water should have been released a few weeks earlier.
“The water should have been released on July 12 itself, and now, it is of no use to farmers,” he said.
He also claimed that more than 200 farmers had committed suicide in Tamil Nadu due to issues related to agricultural distress, adding that if the DMK were to return to power, the grievances of the farmers, like those protesting in New Delhi, would be redressed.
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He said that both the Centre and the State Government were not taking any steps currently to help the distressed farmers.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Stalin visited the Government Botanical Garden and spoke to workers from the horticultural department there. He assured them that their jobs would be regularised if the DMK came to power.