#ThirstyTamilnadu, DMK’s Stalin takes a dig at Velumani

Party president M K Stalin on Saturday took to Twitter and said, “Schools and eateries are being closed for want of water. IT firms are advising its employees to work from home. Why did Chennai face such a situation?” “The minister engrossed in corruption has no answers to this,” Stalin tweeted, apparently targeting Velumani.

In another tweet with the hashtag “ThirstyTamilnadu”, Stalin advised his cadre to intensify water distribution to people using tanker lorries. The DMK president, who had launched private tanker water distribution by his party in the city earlier, said that though it was a consolation that his cadre have acceded to his request and started distributing water sporadically, party functionaries and MLAs should actively engage in water distribution to the people.

Chepauk-Triplicane MLA and DMK district secretary J Anbazhagan, an active Twitter user, has put his leader’s words into action by appealing to people in his constituency to contact him for water. He said those in need of water could call the dedicated phone number (Triplicane - 9840091488 and Chepauk - 9444071150).

Newly-elected DMK MPs have also pitched in to do their bit to overcome the water crisis in the capital city. South Chennai MP Tamilachi Thangapandian along with Sholinganallur MLA Arvind Ramesh on Friday met the Managing Director of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMSSB) and urged him to take immediate steps to resolve the water crisis in their constituencies.

South Chennai MP segment, which comprises Sholinganallur, a major IT hub in the State, was among the areas worst affected by the drought. Several IT companies have even advised techies to stay put in their houses owing to water paucity.

The water crisis in Chennai has also triggered a war of words between the supporters of the ruling and opposition parties with both blaming each other for the prevailing situation, besides claiming credit for the two functional desalination plants at Minjur and Nemmeli.