Anbumani Ramadoss launches symbolic 'lock' protest against NLC

CHENNAI: PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday threatened to "lock" Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) if it continues its operation in Tamil Nadu.

PMK staged a protest in Neyveli and Anbumani arrived on a bullock cart to the protest site along with a large-sized symbolic lock. "This is a symbolic lock and if NLC does not allow the people of Tamil Nadu to live peacefully real locks will be used to lock all the NLC gates. None can come in or go out after the gates are locked, " said Anbumani.

During the protest, Anbumani and PMK cadres held placards and raised slogans against NLC. Then Anbumani during his protest said, "Neyveli before 40 years had artesian wells and water was available at just 6 to 8 feet but now groundwater is available only at 1,000 feet and NLC is primarily responsible for it. NLC has caused a great deal of disaster for farmers of Cuddalore district."

He also said that if a company is established in a district, the people of the district will welcome it because the area will develop and there will be economic prosperity but the people of Cuddalore district are entirely opposed to NLC because of their practice and functioning. NLC was established in 1956 with few lakhs but people lost their livelihood and identity in the process. People of 44 villages were vacated overnight and were made refugees.

Anbumani further said that 37,000 acres of land was acquired by NLC to establish the industry and the promise made by them was to provide employment for those who gave land to them, to provide livelihood, to construct houses for them and to make them do agriculture but they had not done anything to fulfill their promises. "There have been cheating people for more than 66 years and do people need such an industry, " asked Ramadoss.

He further criticised NLC by saying that recently 299 engineers were recruited by NLC but there was no one from the state. There is not a single person from Tamil Nadu at the administrative posts of NLC and we do not want such an industry to function in Tamil Nadu, added Anbumani.