Chennai, Oct 17 (PTI) After the rains ceased, Tamil Nadu’s main opposition AIADMK, on Thursday, targeted the DMK government over flood mitigation initiatives and Chief Minister M K Stalin said it was only an attempt to politicise the issue and asserted that the government is prepared to tackle any amount of rainfall.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, referring to the state government setting up the Thiruppugazh Committee to suggest measures to prevent/mitigate floods, demanded to know the panel’s recommendations and the action taken by the government.
Addressing journalists, Palaniswami said while he had sought a white paper on the committee’s recommendations, it had not been released so far.
Deputy CM Udhayanidhi replied stating that the “government clearing waterlogging constituted whitepaper.” Such a response was “immature,” the AIADMK chief said, adding it was also playful in nature.
“Had heavy rainfall continued, today nobody would have been able to go anywhere (hinting at the possibility of inundation). Since the rains ceased, the flood has receded.” Asked on Palaniswami’s allegations, without naming the main opposition party, CM Stalin told reporters that the attempt was aimed at politicising the issue.
The CM said the people are, however, aware of the extent of good work that has been done by the government to avert and mitigate flooding. He added that he did not wish the matter getting politicised.
“Whatever be the amount of rainfall, the government is prepared to tackle it,” he said here after inspecting ongoing work aimed at preventing flooding and improving civic infrastructure in his Kolathur Assembly constituency.
The CM also gave away welfare assistance to sanitary workers and differently-abled persons.
Asked on adverse criticism from some quarters, he said this had no truth in them and hence he was not concerned about it.
People are satisfied with the work done by the government and water stagnation has receded in most places.
The CM thanked sanitary workers and employees and officials of the government for their swift rain-related work.
To a question, Stalin said only those who could not tolerate the government’s good work were making counter arguments on social media.
The government is not worried about such motivated comments. “Our work is people’s work; we are doing that.” Palaniswami, the leader of opposition, said the opposition party seeks whitepaper so that the people could understand the issue. It is, hence, the duty of the government to clarify doubts. Dodging such a demand from the opposition should not be the objective of the government. PTI VGN VGN KH
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