AIADMK chief Palaniswami targets DMK govt over panel's recommendation to avert floods

CHENNAI: AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday slammed the DMK regime for not releasing a 'white paper' on a panel's recommendation to prevent inundation and the action taken by the state government over it.

Palaniswami termed Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's response to his demand 'immature' and 'playful.'

The AIADMK general secretary, referring to the state government setting up the Thiruppugazh Committee to suggest measures to prevent/mitigate floods, demanded to know the panel's recommendations and the action taken by the government.

The DMK regime, soon after assuming power, constituted in 2021, the Advisory Committee on Mitigation and Management of flood risk in Chennai under V Thiruppugazh, a senior, retired IAS official.

Palaniswami said while he had sought a white paper on the committee's recommendations, it had not been released so far. Udhayanidhi replied stating that the "government clearing waterlogging constituted whitepaper." Such a response was "immature," the AIADMK chief said, adding it was also playful in nature.

"Had heavy rainfall continued, today nobody would have been able to go anywhere (hinting at the possibility of inundation). Since the rains ceased, the flood has receded."

Palaniswami, the leader of opposition, said the opposition party seeks whitepaper so that the people could understand the issue. It is, hence, the duty of the government to clarify doubts. Dodging such a demand of the opposition should not be the objective of the government.

During the AIADMK regime, state ministers used to look into rain related issues and they would coordinate to ensure relief and speedy completion of tasks. Nowadays, under the DMK regime every other matter across government departments is handled only by the deputy chief minister. Though there are senior ministers, seasoned at tackling issues, the ruling party is 'seeking to project' only Udhayanidhi in government work.

Had ministers responsible for specific portfolios been assigned tasks, issues faced by the people could have been solved earlier. "The government is not bothered about all these things," the AIADMK leader claimed.

On criticism from the ruling party that AIADMK had not done field work during rains while it was in power, Palaniswami recalled efforts of the previous AIADMK regime in tackling rains and flood during several cyclonic storms.

He claimed that the DMK government is "yet to see such cyclones and it is only rain so far." The DMK regime is, however, alarmed by just rains, while cyclones were yet to form.

The AIADMK government had addressed people's grievances with the "speed of a storm" and no one had the locus standi to criticize them. Palaniswami, on Chief Minister Stalin buying tea for sanitary workers, asked if it was enough and alleged that it was the DMK regime that terminated the services of several contract workers.

Only the AIADMK regime took proper care of sanitary workers, he claimed.

Palaniswami also blamed the state government over construction of stormwater drains. He said had priority been accorded, there would have been no water stagnation now.