Jayalalithaa opposes gas pipelines in farmlands

Chennai, April 13 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday pledged to ensure that the gas pipelines of GAIL (India) were not laid over farmlands.

Addressing an election rally at Dharmapuri, around 300 km from here, the AIADMK leader also said: "I am of the firm view that all schemes should be for the welfare of the people."

Jayalalithaa said she would tell the central government that GAIL should not erect the gas pipelines through farmlands in the state.

She said GAIL had undertaken a project to lay 310 km of pipeline in land belonging to farmers in seven districts in the state.

Jayalalithaa said her government ordered that the pipes should be laid along highways and GAIL must take out the pipes already laid and hand over the affected land to the farmers.

But the Supreme Court ruled that state governments had no powers to issue such an order.

Jayalalithaa also said that if her party was re-elected to power in the May assembly elections, she would implement prohibition in phases.