Stalin says nothing learnt from 2015, wants govt to disburse Rs 5,000 to flood-hit people

Remarking that water logging on the city roads could have been avoided if storm water drains were properly desilted, Stalin alleged that the ruling AIADMK did not rectify the deficiencies pointed out in a 2016 report by the CAG about the 2015 December floods. “The DMK president said that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had covered up the March 2016 CAG report on its failure in handling the 2015 floods and the report was tabled in the Assembly after two years in July 2018 only after he had questioned the cover up. One needs no better example than this for the AIADMK’s lethargy in handling floods, Stalin, who visited flood affected areas in the city for the second day, said in a statement.

He also added that flood prone areas continue to be flooded in the 10 year AIADMK regime and it is worrisome that the CM and AIADMK Ministers claim that measures taken by the government have prevented flooding even as TN Slum Clearance Board tenements and low lying areas and arterial roads were heavily flooded. Stalin also charged the Local Administration Minister SP Velumani of focusing on swindling money from the funds allotted under Smart City project.

Stalin urged the CM to immediately assess the damage and pay Rs 5,000 each to poor, farmers and fishermen affected by Cyclone Nivar.