Tuesday, June 13 2006 16:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: AIADMK Supremo Jayalalithaa today (June 13, 2006) accused Union Environment and forest minister A Raja of stalling the setting up of a desalination plant in Chennai.

In a statement, she pointed out that the water supply authorities had selected the IVRCL Infrastruture and Projects Company to set up the desalination plant and even signed a MOU for purchase of water from the company during her tenure as the Chief Minister.

"If only Raja had cleared the proposal, the project would have come up by this time," she alleged and charged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi with advising Raja not to clear it.

On Karunanidhi's remarks that he was taking efforts to implement a desalination project, she said there was no need to do so.

"He need to ask Raja to clear the file, submitted by her government, after which the project could be implemented immediately," she said.

"Karunanidhi's remarks meant to deceive the people," she said.

Refuting Congress MLA Peter Alphone's remarks that her Government had not utilised Rs 1,000 crore offered by union finance minister P Chidambaram for the project, she said Chidambaram had only made an announcement and had not allocated any funds for the purpose.