No party can dislodge AIADMK government, says Palaniswami

Speaking to reporters in Salem on Thursday, the Chief Minister said, “We do not talk about infighting in DMK and never politicise issues. On the other hand, DMK doesn’t miss out an opportunity to politicise things for selfish reasons.” 

The sharp retort from the Chief Minister comes as Stalin, in his first speech after taking over as DMK’s president, called for the ousting of both BJP and AIADMK from Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami also took potshots at the PMK’s plantation drive to increase green cover by saying, “Everyone knew they were behind the destruction of nature to the maximum extent.” 

On the various development projects, he said a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared to divert surplus water from Mettur dam to fill up 96 lakes in various villages under Mettur Assembly constituency. 

“Works for the construction of 62 check dams will soon start and Rs 292 crore has been sanctioned for the project in the first phase. In the next three years, checks dams will be built at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. Repair works of damaged sluice gates in Mukkombu will get over in three days and a new regulator dam will be built in another 18 months,” he said. Further, the Chief Minister said that 41,887 completed projects worth Rs 22,640 crore were inaugurated and foundation stones laid for 7,597 projects worth 19,101 crore since the formation of this government. 

On a three-day visit to Salem, the Chief Minister inaugurated various development works and distributed welfare assistance of Rs 1.20 crore to 229 beneficiaries. He also declared open a new premise of a primary health centre at Koneriappati.

Laying the foundation stone for the extended Edappadi-Konganapuram-Magudanchavadi comprehensive drinking water scheme, he said that food production is likely to go up as all the dams in the state are already filled.

Stating that the government has taken efforts to enhance water supply by taking financial assistance from foreign agencies and through state and central government projects, the Chief Minister said that water supplied to an individual has been scaled up from 93 litre in 2011 to 113 litre in 2017-18.   

“About 2,073 million litre drinking water has been supplied to 4.21 crore people in the state under 554 combined drinking water projects. In Edappadi, 257.21 crore water schemes have been implemented so far,” he said.