Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today urged the Centre to provide relief to those affected and displaced by land acquisition for setting up of SAIL's steel plant in Salem.
In a letter to Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, he said priority in recruitments should be given to persons who had parted with their land for establishment of the plant as was being done in Bokaro and Visakapatanam on a Supreme court ruling.
Affected persons had staged agitations twice last month in Salem, he said, adding, conciliatory talks were held by the District Collector in the presence of Agriculture Minster Veerapandi S Arumugam where agitators presented various demands, including priority in recruitments and setting up a separate employment exchange for them.
He said Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin had assured the state Assembly recently that the issue will be taken up with the Centre.
"I, therefore, request you to look into this matter and arrange to issue necessary orders for providing relief measures to the persons who have been affected and displaced by land acquisition activities for establishment of the steel plant," he said in his letter adding a total of 4000 acres of land were acquired for this purpose.
Stalin had stated in the Assembly on Wednesday that of the 3,000 families which had parted with their land for the establishment of the plant in 1970, kin of 201 have been provided jobs based on their qualification.
Several persons who had not been provided employment had moved the court which ruled in their favour, Stalin had said.
