PMK envisions TN without sand quarrying in shadow budget

CHENNAI: An agriculture shadow budget released by PMK has proposed to shut down all the sand quarries functioning in the State to protect agriculture and the environment.

Party president Anbumani Ramadoss, who released the shadow budget on Saturday, said that the M-sand (manufactured sand) will be promoted to meet the requirements of the construction works.

"Decision to acquire 3,000 acres of land in Melma for Cheyyar SIPCOT expansion will be dropped. Agricultural lands will not be acquired for any industrial project including SIPCOT. Moreover, the Knowledge City project proposed near Chennai will be dropped and East Coast Road will be declared as protected bird habitat," the shadow budget said.

Anbumani added that the intention of the party is to allocate 25 per cent of the total budget allocation to agriculture. The shadow budget has allocated Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the sector.

Responding to a question on police entering NTK chief Seeman's house to arrest a guard for allegedly trying to cops, Anbumani commented that the law enforcement agency has several real tasks in the State such as curbing the sale of drugs and preventing violence against women. "But, they are foisting false cases against the leaders of political parties," he alleged.