GREETING: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai on Monday. Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal called on Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence to seek a "large area in the seafront in Tamil Nadu to carry out research activities such as deep sea mining' and "coastal management.' "We want to carry on more activities in Tamil Nadu. So I requested the Chief Minister to look into a proposal by the Ministry to give a large area in the seafront in Tamil Nadu for carrying on research activities such as deep sea mining and others. As you know the Cabinet has in principle accorded approval to the setting up of a maritime university in Tamil Nadu and we hope that the setting up of the university and the grant of a seafront to us to carry out research and development would go hand in hand. This will enable us to invest more money in research activities in Tamil Nadu along the coast,' he said. Asked about the reaction of Mr. Karunanidhi, he said the Chief Minister told him that he would consider the issue very seriously. When it was brought to his notice that a parliamentary committee was looking into the issue of setting up of maritime university, he said that it was only concerned about the methodology and "how it is to be done.' Asked about the location of the university, he said: "We are setting up a maritime university. It will be located somewhere near the coast of some particular State.' Asked if there would be two maritime universities, he said he did not know about that. "It is not under my domain. I only know that in principle it has been agreed to. The location is yet to be decided and wherever it is, it has to be near the coast. And wherever it is, now with Information Technology you can do a lot of activities.' D. Rajasekhar, head of the Vessel Management Cell at the National Institute of Ocean Technology, said the area the Minister sought was for his institute, which is located in Pallikaranai. "We have to use Chennai Port for our berthing facilities
