'Undeclared' release of water from Sathanur dam worsened plight, says Anbumani

CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has alleged that the government had released water from the Sathanur Dam into Thenpennai without alerting the residents along the river banks.

He alleged that people were left unprepared as 1.70 lakh cusecs were released from Sathanur Dam. "90 per cent of Cuddalore district has been affected," Anbumani said after visiting flood-affected areas in Marakkanam on Monday.

He added that this goes against MK Stalin's previous promise while alleging the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government's 'irresponsibility' for Chennai's flooding in 2015. "The present Chief Minister then said that the AIADMK government released water from Chembarambakkam Lake unannounced and the DMK would not do such things," he claimed.

Anbumani also added that the government had concentrated its flood mitigation works only in Chennai. "The government should not depend on the central government for relief funds. As disasters hit every year, a separate allocation should be made in the budget. Moreover, weather forecasts are not complete. Measures should be taken to ensure a more accurate forecast. No one knew that Villupuram would receive 50 cm of rainfall," he said.

Anbumani said that during a 24-hour period, Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district received 50 cm of rainfall, the highest in the locality's last 300 years of rainfall. "Hundreds of villages have been affected. Thousands of houses have been inundated, putting people under immense stress," he pointed out.

Acknowledging that the amount of rainfall is historical, Anbumani claimed that the severity of the floods has been worsened by the failure to desilt water bodies and waterways. "No one knows where the funds allocated for desilting water bodies go. The government is yet to announce relief to the affected people," he said.

Anbumani pointed out the Tiruvannamalai tragedy, where seven persons were trapped under a landslide, and rescue teams weren't able to secure them even after 18 hours, to highlight the kind of challenges being faced and the need for immediate and long-term interventions.

The PMK leader urged the government to intensify rescue and relief works by arranging additional rescue personnel, considering the enormity of the tragedy. He shared rainfall data showing how Harur in Dharmapuri district and Tirupalapanthal in Kallakurichi received 33 cm and 32 cm of rain, respectively, making immediate relief measures a top priority to save people.

Anbumani pointed out how vehicles parked in Krishnagiri district were washed away in the flood water. Vehicle movement on Tirupattur-Tiruvannamalai Road is completely cut off. He cited severe flooding in the Sarabanga River in Salem and the Thenpennai from Krishnagiri to Cuddalore district and demanded quick action to restore normalcy.