PONNAR SUCCESS – EPISODE—I
MADURAI: He is Mr. Pon.Radhakrishnan, one of the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from Tamil Nadu who is tirelessly working as a “hotline” between the people of Tamil Nadu and Central government as an Union Minister of State. He has positioned himself as Tamil Nadu’s vital link between the State and Centre whenever issues are triggered. The issues that cropped up in the first three months of year 2017 could be solved only through his presence on the field and voicing the wants of Tamil Nadu people in New Delhi.
A man on the move always, travelling and toiling all through Tamil Nadu meeting and hearing the people to be in union with the people as Union Minister, he showed his issue-management skills again and again and his concern for the State ever since he became a part of the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s team in New Delhi. His latest peace mission was on the controversy that erupted in Neduvasal-Hydro Carbon project near Thanjavur.
The when, why, who, whom and how…..in the hydro carbon episode is before you in his own words and facts. Because, his role became important in this State since local issues that had to be addressed by the Tamil Nadu State government required the intervention of Central Minister Mr.Ponnar. For instance, if an issue has to be addressed locally when tempers were running high, the State government could not come at right time.
But, this central Minister was there on the spot talking to the protesters and the local people. He was on the field. The Neduvasal hydrocarbon project heat that came up due to protests had subsided and peace prevailed after a fortnight of protests only due to Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan’s timely intervention and negotiation. He had a solution in sight. After his agile move, the agitation came to a halt. Mr.Ponnar never waited, he only worked instantly. Tamil Nadu people and media know that.
His words during the talks and the pictures we have here on the website say it all – the substance is that the State government which has to handle the issue was in a bad state and bad shape due to political and administrative vacuum because of reasons better known to the people of Tamil Nadu since early 2017 while Mr.Ponnar had to take the lead as a crucial link to take up for solution in New Delhi.
He did the ‘walk the talk’ at several places from Thanjavur to the national capital. The truth is here…
“Let the people of Tamil Nadu first remember the fact that Neduvasal hydrocarbon exploration is not a sudden thing thrust on Thanjavur by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. There is a wrong understanding and misconceptions among the people. This Neduvasal issue has been long-pending since it first started with land inspection for oil and gas exploration. Only after so called Marina Revolution for jallikattu which began in Chennai, the Neduvasal issue suddenly cropped up. Neither the DMK or AIADMK governments did not oppose Neduvasal hydrocarbon project…..it was the DMK which was in power during 2006 to 2008..is it not?”, he reminded the people during his meetings on Neduvasal controversy.
Importantly, it was he who relentlessly held talks with the protesters at Neduvasal, had meetings with the Union Petroleum Minister Mr.Dharmendra Pradhan and worked for confidence building measures among people.
“I arranged for a meeting in Madurai by calling 35 representatives from the protesting groups. Since I cannot answer technical points on oil and gas, I also made sure that four officials from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) came to Madurai to answer the questioned raised by youth about the hydrocarbon project. Their doubts on underground water quality, pollution, environment hazard and if any tremors will occur due to drilling were answered by the officials. The youth who attended the Madurai meeting were cleared of all their doubts,” Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan pointed out. This meeting in Madurai lasted for four hours and the protesters were told “don’t fear, don’t worry. I told them to lease withdraw their agitation.”
On March 9th, the Minister also visited Neduvasal with a team to allay the fears of people. They were convinced with my intervention and that was how peace returned to the fertile lands of Thanjavur. He did not stop with that. Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan took steps to arrange for another direct meeting between the local people who have fears about the Neduvasal project and the Union Petroleum Minister Mr.Dharmendra Pradhan in an attempt to make them understand what the hydrocarbon project is all about.
But, he also has a few advisory words to the people of Tamil Nadu, especially those in Thanjavur region, on why there should not be protests for the Neduvasal project and on why youth must not get misled by political parties which are igniting the protests to dangerous levels.
In India, hydrocarbon exploration projects have been undertaken at totally 31 places including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra etc. Of these, only one is proposed in Tamil Nadu (Neduvasal-Thanjavur) and the another one for Puducherry. “There is no opposition in other States and only in our State I think people were misled and wrongly informed. After Marina protest only it began.”
The import bill of India for oil and gas imports is a major expenditure for our country and so we have to try to reduce the oil imports bill by exploring our own sources within the country. Further, Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan appeals to the people to bear in mind that oil rich nations will not support India’s exploration plans because their income takes a beating if our country gets oil and gas locally.
“Our oil imports have to come down by atleast 10 per cent and that will be huge good for our economy,” he adds. Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan tells the people of Tamil Nadu that the hydrocarbon-Neduvasal project of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu would be for the good of the future generations of the State and he wants Tamil Nadu too to ride high in exploring the resources.
“I am for the good and pray that the people of my State live peacefully without instigation by parties for political advantage,” the Union Minister says after gauging the mind of people on the field. He is working similarly for fishermen, students and others.
This Minister never minces his words….he meets the people directly. Mr.Pon.Radhakrishnan is always a man in action, a minister in motion, a leader with decision and a is a choice with people’s voice for his humility and hard work for Tamil Nadu.
