Take adequate safety measures: MK

CHENNAI: DMK chief M Karunanidhi has slammed the State government for adopting an ‘ostrich-like attitude’ towards the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant issue here on Tuesday.Referring to Jayalalithaa’s charge of the Centre being inactive deliberately to create problems for the State government, Karunanidhi said in an interaction with reporters that the State had adopted an “ostrich-like attitude” and had been continuing with the similar fashion in KKNPP issue.Karunanidhi pitied AIADMK leader and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for writing a letter to the Centre in this regard for she had been criticising Karunanidhi for writing letters with regard to the Lankan issue.Asked for the party’s stand in KKNPP, Karunanidhi maintained that the State and the Centre should ensure that the project should not bring harm to life, even to the extent of an iota, to the citizens of the State and necessary prior safety measures should be taken before implementing the project.He also added that he was willing to give his suggestions for the KKNPP project as and when asked by the Centre. On State Election Commission holding a review meeting at a time when the media had exposed the violence reported during the first phase of civic polls, Karunanidhi said that just solutions could not be expected from the State and as well from the State Election Commissioner S. Ayyar.Asked about the large-scale disapproval among the political parties in the State regarding the conduct of the local body election, Karunanidhi said that they have aired their representations to the State Election Commissioner with sufficient supporting documents proving the violations in the conduct of the local body elections before approaching the Court. Karunanidhi said he was with the media with regard to Jayalalithaa petitioning the Court which he said was to escape from appearing before the Banglore Special Court in which she was the prime accused in a disproportionate wealth case that is coming up for hearing on October 20. Jayalalithaa raking up the Cauvery issue by demanding notification of the recommendations of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by the Centre was another bid to obtain an adjournment in the wealth case.