Dismissing the opposition AIADMK’s demand for a white paper on flood preparedness in the wake of the recent torrential downpour, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday said the state government is ready to face any rain-related exigency in future.
“I will not engage in a war of words and allow politics over the flood preparedness and relief and restoration work. Let there be any amount of rainfall, the government is well prepared to face it in future. It should not be made into an opportunity for political mileage,” he told the media after reviewing the flood relief work at his Kolathur assembly constituency in north Chennai.
“Problems due to floods would be resolved permanently when the remaining 30 percent of work recommended by the Thirupugazh committee is completed,” he had said on Wednesday.
The Committee headed by retired IAS officer V Thirupugazh was constituted to suggest measures on flood mitigation in Chennai.
Kolathur was among the most affected by the recent rains under the impact of the depression in the Bay of Bengal which had drifted away from Chennai and made landfall near Nellore coast. Though the city had been spared, the depression had pounded south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati and Rayalaseema.
In recognition of the services of the conservancy workers in removing the garbage and draining flood waters in residential areas, the Chief Minister hosted them a sumptuous dinner – chicken biryani. Besides serving the sanitary workers, he joined them in taking food.
Earlier in the day, AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Edappadi K Palaniswami reiterated his demand for the government to release a ‘while paper’ on the works carried out for flood preparedness and their present status.
“Why the DMK government hesitating to table a white paper? This time, the quantum of rainfall was not huge, but the city was unable to cope with it,” he told the media after the AIADMK’s 53rd foundation day celebration at the party headquarters in the city.
“DMK ministers maintain that the storm water drainage work and other measures to mitigate flood were taken up as per the Thirupugazh committee. But, the report itself is not yet released,” he said. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) too had criticized the Stalin government for the same.