People lost sleep as DMK failed to take flood mitigation measures, says EPS

COIMBATORE: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Monday that people have lost their sleep as the State government failed to take flood prevention measures.

Responding to a post on ‘X’ by Chief Minister MK Stalin stating that people in Chennai spent sleepless nights during the AIADMK regime, Palaniswami said that because of the State government’s lack of flood preventive measures, people in Villupuram have lost their sleep.

Referring to over 20 tourist vehicles, including cars and vans, being washed away in floods in Uthangarai, the AIADMK leader said the vehicle owners and drivers have lost their source of livelihood in this peak tourist season.

“They will have to incur a huge amount to repair those vehicles. They should be compensated for the loss,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition said around 55 affected families living near the lake should be compensated as they have been worst hit. He added that they should be provided with alternative housing facilities in a safe place. The AIADMK leader also urged the State government to assess the damage caused to crops raised in the Pochampalli and Uthangarai areas in Krishnagiri to compensate the farmers.

Even after three years, the DMK government did not begin construction of the damaged bridge in the Nagalapuram area near Tindivanam. As a result, he charged excess water from Kidungal Lake is now entering the surrounding habitation, he alleged.

“Two years ago, they said that not a single drop of water would stagnate on Chennai's roads, even if the city received 20 cm of rainfall,” he said, adding that the situation has not improved even today. They (the DMK government) failed to complete the stormwater drainage works launched by the AIADMK government, which had completed the construction of around 1,800 km of stormwater infrastructure. The work is being carried out at a snail's pace after the DMK returned to power.