DMK, AIADMK enters into war of words over SWD project in Chennai

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK and principal opposition AIADMK on Tuesday charged each other over the storm water drain project in the state capital and resorted to a war of words.

Deputy Leader of Opposition RB Udhayakumar, while participating in the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, criticised the DMK government's poor implementation of the integrated storm water drainage works and ill-preparedness ahead of the northeast monsoon left the people of Chennai in dismay.

He continued in the same vein and said that the ministers boasted that 98% of the SWD works have been completed and not a single drop of water would stagnate in the city. In contrast, the city was under water. Despite the red-alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the TN government did not follow the protocol.

Refuting the AIADMK legislator's charges, HR & CE minister PK Sekarbabu said the city witnessed an unprecedented rain in the last four decades. It received 33 CM of rain in three hours following cyclonic storm Michaung, resulting in floods.

"The government acted swiftly and restored normalcy in three days, " he said and recalled it took 10 days for the City to bounce back to normalcy in the AIADMK regime in 2016 when it received the same quantity of rain in a week's time. "The people of the City are happy and they will give all the three MP constituencies to the DMK in the coming LS polls in appreciation of its efforts in handling the recent Chennai flood, " Sekarbabu said.

He further said the then CM (Edappadi K Palaniswami) during election campaign in 2021 said that the AIADMK regime had constructed SDW at Rs 2000 crore and boasted that not a single drop of water would stagnate in Chennai. The former CM went on to say that Chennai city was developed on par with Singapore, said the minister in a sarcastic tone. State Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Transport Minister S S Sivasankar have also hit out at the EPS-led AIADMK regime and charged that the poor implementation of the SDW projects. Joining the debate, Leader of Opposition Palaniswami rebuked the DMK ministers by stating that it was "you assured that not a drop of water will stagnate in Chennai" and declared that 98% of the works have been completed.

Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply KN Nehru said the existing SWD is capable of carrying 20 cm of rain water. But the rain in the first week of December was unprecedented. The government has been taking efforts to widen and deepen the Coovum river, besides removing the weed to ensure free flow of water. The government has also expedited the Kosasthalaiyar drainage project.

The debate veered towards the financial assistance to the affected people in Chennai and neighbouring districts during Michaung and the southern districts. Udhayakumar wondered what the 38 MPs from Tamil Nadu were doing and questioned why the TN government was unable to get the due share of funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund to extend assistance to thousands of people affected by the flood and cyclone.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu countered Udhayakumar charges and said that though the Union government did not give financial support, the TN government disbursed Rs 6,000 to each of the flood victims in the state. "Unlike the AIADMK regime, we did not remain idle and extend financial aid to the people, " he said.