Rs 64 crore for cancer care devices at 4 hospitals

A Centre of Excellence would be set up at a cost of Rs 20 crore each in district headquarter hospitals in Mayiladuthurai, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, and Tiruvallur. 

MRI scanners and CT Scanners would be installed at a cost of 47.25 crore at various hospitals, and palm-tops would be provided for 9,994 nurses involved in neo-natal care at a cost of Rs 9.99 crore. Monsoon relief for potters in the State was enhanced to Rs 5,000 from Rs 4,000 and infrastructure upgradation would be undertaken in Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University’s School of Excellence in Law and at Madurai Law College at a cost of Rs 21.37 crore, EPS announced.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Wednesday, urged the Centre not to accord technical clearance to Mekedatu project on Karnataka’s application before the Central Water Commission.

The CM, in his letter to Union Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharti, recalled the latter’s communique dated 8.1.2016, advising Karnataka to share plans of Shivasamudram Hydroelectric Project and Mekedatu Project with all co-basin states as required under the order of the Tirbunal, to bring them on board before taking up detailed project report or construction. 

Blaming Karnataka for unilaterally sending the detailed project report to the Commission for techno-economic clearance without prior concurrence of Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami observed that Karnataka’s application filed before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal pertains to that of seeking clarification to the effect of storages in Mekedatu and Shivasamudram Hydroelectric Projects are the rights and responsibilities of Karnataka and are not necessarily dependent or controlled by the National Hydro Power Corporation Ltd., for their construction. 

While this application is pending, TN has filed interlocutory applications before the SC in this regard. “In the above circumstances, I request you to kindly issue instructions to the officials concerned of the Central Water Commission not to accord techno-economic clearance to the Mekedatu or any other project in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka till the concurrence of all the co-basin states is obtained by the Government of Karnataka and the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee are formed and the judicial references are finally settled.” 

Further, the Ministries concerned may be requested not to accord any Forest, Environment, Wild Life Clearances and other statutory clearances to the Mekedatu Project or any other project in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka till all the issues on Cauvery Water Dispute are finally settled”, the letter read.  Palaniswami also recalled his previous letter and a memorandum dated 25.2.2017 and 27.2.2017 to PM to advise the Central Water Commission not to accord techno-economic clearance for Mekedatu or any other projects in the Cauvery Basin of Karnataka till the whole issue is settled.