EPS demands Stalin to publish White paper on Rs 4000 cr SWD project

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday demanded Chief Minister M K Stalin to release the white paper on the Rs 4,000 crore storm water drain project in Chennai city.

The people would give a fitting reply to this government, if the CM tried to “escape from releasing the report by giving any excuse”.

This government has been “cheating the people of Chennai” by stating that it carried out a Rs 4,000 crore SWD project in the city.

If so, is the government ready to come up with a detailed report?”

Palaniswami demanded in a statement and dared the CM whether he will publish a white paper on list of completed and undergoing works

Continuing in the same tone, the former CM claimed relief measures did not reach the people in flood-hit areas in the aftermath of cyclonic storm Michaung.

The government, despite an early red alert from IMD regarding the cyclone, had failed to take precautionary measures.

It was evident that large number of interior roads and major roads in Chennai city were affected by water-logging even three days after rain stopped.

There were complaints that the government did not pay the private motor operators, who were hired to pump out rainwater from low-lying areas, to buy fuel.

It was evident that in several places, the motors were not operated, Palaniswami said in a statement.

Until the morning hours of December 6, no relief measures from the government reached the people in the worst affected areas in the city.

The media reports have also explicitly shown that several residential areas were flooded and the posts and pictures in the social media have also reflected the media reporters on the grim situation, said Palaniswami.

Industrial estates in Ambattur and neighbouring areas were not spared in the cyclonic storm.

Several hundreds of MSMEs in the industrial areas submerged in the water.

The government should act swiftly to bail them out of this distress and help the sector to bounce back by giving assistance, he added.

He demanded the government to restore electricity connections and ensure supply of milk and other essential commodities to people in affected areas and expedite the works to drain the rainwater that mixed sewage to prevent spread of communicable diseases and organise special medical camps.

He also demanded the government to distribute relief kits to the people to restore normalcy.