Tamil Nadu concerns will be looked into, PM tells Karunanidhi

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that the central government would look into various issues raised by him like the attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, the state government announced Monday.

Karunanidhi, who is on a three-day visit to New Delhi, met the prime minister Monday afternoon and also took up the issue of help from the National Disaster Relief Fund and the permission to extend the Chennai Metro Rail.

According to a statement issued by the Tamil Nadu government here, Manmohan Singh assured Karunanidhi that the release of Rs.1,832 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund towards relief and restoration work following the damages caused by the monsoon rains would be taken up by the Central High Level Committee headed by union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

He also told Karunanidhi that he would speak to union Defence Minister A.K. Antony on deploying the Indian Navy and Coast Guard along the India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary to strengthen the relations between the two nations and prevent attacks on Indian fishermen.

According to the statement, the prime minister indicated that all efforts would be taken for early clearance of the extension of the Chennai Metro Rail project up to Thiruvotriyur and Wimco Nagar. He said the government would take early action for the release of funds for the project.

Karunanidhi also expressed the state’s deep concern at the environment ministry setting up a technical committee to study the ecological impact of the new dam proposed by Kerala in Mullaiperiyar when the Supreme Court is hearing the case.

Manmohan Singh said the issue would be looked into.