Eviction only after finding alternative sites: Duraimurugan

The Minister, who interacted with reporters after participating in the international differently abled day celebrations at VIT University said he welcomed the High Court order that encroachments on water bodies should be removed within a week. Water body encroachers whoever they might be would be removed as was being done in Gudiyattam now, he added.

On Karnataka Chief Minister’s plea to Centre to stop river linking project in Tamil Nadu, the Minister said that the Centre was now seized of the Cauvery– Gundar river linking scheme and hence it was up to them to convince the Karnataka government. “We will not under any circumstances allow the construction of a dam at Mekadatu by Karnataka,” he stressed. Water was being released round the clock from Mullaiperiyar dam once the water level in that reservoir reached 142 feet, he added.

Earlier, participating in the International Differently Abled Day celebrations, he said the DMK government then led by M Karunanidhi was the first to provide homes for lepers and beggars. The same government was also the first to provide eyesight to the blind he added.