Tamil Nadu can withstand up to 25 cm rainfall: Nehru

TIRUCHY: Tamil Nadu can withstand up to 25 cm rainfall during the monsoon season as all the stormwater drains across the State have been readied to face the rain fury and the MLAs have been instructed to enlist the required desilt works of the drainages on a priority basis, said Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply Minister KN Nehru, here on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy after garlanding the statue of VOC, KN Nehru said, the recent meeting on monsoon preparedness in Chennai with the officials of various departments has been decided to be well equipped to tackle the monsoon rains.

“We can withstand up to 25 cm of rainfall at a time but if it goes beyond 30 to 40 cm at a time, it would be a great challenge to tackle the situation,” he said.

He said that a few issues like placing the pumping motors in a raised platform were discussed in the meeting.

“There were complaints that the motors used to submerge in the rainwater and so they should be fixed on the raised platforms so that the stagnated water could be soon pumped out. This might be a challenge where the metro works have been under way,” the Minister said.

But still, the MLAs have been asked to enumerate the stormwater drains that could be desilted or repaired on a priority basis.

“While steps are initiated to evacuate the people living in the low-lying areas ahead of monsoon rains. This apart, the tree-cutting machines are kept ready and the complaints about power cuts during the monsoon would be attended to and rectified at once,” the Minister said.

Answering a query about the upcoming Assembly polls, the Minister said that the same alliance would continue and the cadres are asked to work for the 200-plus seats in the upcoming Assembly polls in 2026.

“The DMK government has made welfare schemes for the women and the party will be triumphant with the voting by women,” he stressed.