SIPCOT Industrial Estate At Pongalur
The Chairman of the Assurances Committee of the Assembly S. Peter Alphonse (second right) addressing officials at the Coimbatore Collectorate on Thursday. The chairman of the Assurances Committee of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, S. Peter Alphonse on Thursday said that identifying non-agriculture land for the proposed SIPCOT Industrial estate at Pongalur was under way. He was talking to reporters after a two-day visit to Coimbatore and the Nilgiris to review the promises made on the floor of the House pertaining to issues raised by MLAs from the two districts. Mr. Peter Alphonse said that A.S. Mani, MLA, and Collector V. Palanikumar have said that non-agricultural land would be identified for Pongalur SIPCOT following opposition from farmers for giving away their agricultural lands.A revised proposal would be sent to the Government.
Mr. Alphonse told reporters that the panel would recommend increasing the schedule of rates for construction materials for the pending works in hill areas such as the Nilgiris and Valparai. Being hill areas, the cost of transportation of materials to these places was deterring contractors for reasons of viability. Mr. Alphonse said that 250 promises given to Coimbatore and action taken on them were reviewed. This included works for Under Ground Drainage scheme, Second Phase of the Drinking Water Supply Scheme, and action initiated on providing houses for Slum Clearance Board dwellers.
Mr. Alphonse said that the panel had taken note of the complaints of the MLAs that abundant water was provided to the industrial units at the cost of drinking water for rural areas. The review meeting of the panel had helped in initiating new efforts to resolve problems awaiting solutions for years together owing to lack of coordinated efforts among various departments.he process for obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the Airport Authority of India for the height of the proposed Information Technology Park at Peelamedu was also under way. Regarding grievances of Tirupur Dyeing unit owners, Mr. Peter Alphonse said the panel would be meeting them.
He added that the panel had now taken note of certain ground realities which the association could not explain to the court and the Government would take steps to explain the matter to the judiciary. On the plea for taking treated effluent to the sea through pipelines, Mr. Alphonse said that a committee constituted by the Government was studying the same. He said 10 per cent of the promises made had been completely fulfilled, 15 per cent were nearing completion and another 15 per cent were being taken up. Some promises could not be implemented owing to stay orders, he said. Some unresolved issues such as delay in giving sale deeds for Tamil Nadu Housing Board houses would be taken up with the Ministers concerned and Heads of Departments at Chennai.
