PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday alleged that Agricultural Minister and Cuddalore’s DMK bigwig M.R.K. Panneerselvam and the Collector were acting as agents number one and two in the land acquisition for NLC India Limited.
Mr. Anbumani, who was detained by the police after a protest in Neyveli and released later, told The Hindu that NLCIL was “100 times more dangerous and polluting than the Sterlite copper plant.” According to him, it was hypocritical of the State government to create a climate policy by which 50% of the State’s power would be generated from renewable sources, while using thousands of policemen to forcibly acquire fertile land from farmers to mine lignite. He said lignite was the “worst form of fossil fuel” available as it is “pre-coal”.
“NLCIL contributes just 800 MW to Tamil Nadu, which is a power- surplus State. Why can’t NLC import coal instead of mining the inefficient lignite? The PMK has always been in the forefront on farmers’ issues, instrumental in creating the protected agricultural zone and safeguarding rivers and championing irrigation projects,” he said.
