NEW DELHI, June 30: India says the steps Sri Lanka has taken so far to rehabilitate the internally displaced Tamils are "not enough," and has politely conveyed its "displeasure" to Colombo in this regard.

This was stated by Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram on Monday.

Speaking to reporters in Karaikudi in his parliamentary constituency Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu, he said: "I am not happy over the steps taken so far by Sri Lanka to rehabilitate the Tamils who have become refugees in their own country."

"The efforts are not enough," he declared.

There are 282,000 internally displaced Tamils, living in camps and waiting to be rehabilitated in their own homes in the civil war-ravaged Northern Province.

Chidambaram said India has asked Sri Lanka to allow the Red Cross to take up relief, and give media access to refugee camps in the strife-torn areas.

New Delhi has allocated five billion Indian rupees for rehabilitating Sri Lankan Tamils, but the rehabilitation plan is not yet ready in Sri Lanka. "We regret this," Chidambaram said.

Asked if India has taken up the issue with Sri Lanka, Chidambaram said New Delhi politely conveyed its "displeasure" last week to a visiting delegation that comprised Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s adviser Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The minister explained: "Our concern is that Sri Lanka is showing slackness in rehabilitating Tamils. India has been stressing that the Tamils should be resettled in their homes. A conducive atmosphere should be created for the children of these displaced Tamils to pursue education. Enough medical facilities should be created."

Asked if there is a need to send a team to Sri Lanka to study the ground realities, Chidambaram said: "We can send a team if they are ready to accept it. Sri Lanka is a sovereign country. Only a few officials of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka have visited a few affected areas. We cannot say they have visited all affected areas."

He made it clear that Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu will not be forced to go back. "However, if they voluntarily want to go back, the government will make all arrangements for them to return."

There are about a hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils living in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu.

The minister vehemently denied the charge that India has not done enough to safeguard Lankan Tamils, and said: "We spoke both to the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government. But they did not listen."

He said Sri Lankan officials told him recently that steps are being taken to hold elections in Tamil areas under the 13th Amendment of the Constitution on devolution provisions under the Indo-Lanka accord.

Referring to reports that China is helping Lanka build a naval base at Katchathivu, an islet ceded by India to Lanka, he said, "It is only an unconfirmed report. It is not so."

He also said government is taking steps to prevent Indian fishermen from being attacked by Lankan naval personnel in mid-sea.