Political motive behind demanding White Paper: Thennarasu

CHENNAI: State finance minister Thangam Thennarasu on Monday downplayed Leader of Opposition K Palaniswami's demand for releasing a White Paper on the Storm Water Drains (SWD) works executed in the city as politically motivated and said that the precautionary measures taken by the government prevented a major disaster, mainly life loss in the state capital.

Responding to Palaniswami's demand for White Paper, Thennarasu said, "Minister Nehru has elaborated on that. It (White paper) is not necessary. The work done by us is transparent. We have explained to what extent the (SWD) works were done. We have not covered up any information related to SWD works. There is a political motive behind demanding a white paper for an already clarified matter."

We did not paste stickers

Citing media reports pointing to regulated discharge of water from reservoirs preventing disaster, the minister said the precautionary measures, mainly the regulated discharge from reservoirs has prevented huge life loss during cyclone Michaung.

"Unlike in the previous AIADMK regime when images of Jayalalithaa or Edappadi were pasted on relief materials, nowhere you would have seen the image of CM or anyone else this time. We did not engage in the business of pasting stickers, " he added. AIADMK was busy campaigning, attending temple festivals during cyclones in the past.

When cyclone Thane ravaged Cuddalore in 2011, the then ruling AIADMK was busy conducting general council and the two ministers deputed by Jayalalithaa had attended the general council instead of engaging in flood relief works, Thennarasu alleged.

"When they flooded Chennai in 2015 without warning, the then Chennai mayor did not go on field. In November 2017, when Cyclone Ockhi devastated Kanyakumari, the then ministers did not go there for relief work. They were engaged in R K Nagar by poll works. When 2018 cyclone Gaja ravaged the delta districts, Edappadi Palaniswami, the then CM, was busy attending temple festivals. Such was their work even during the Covid. Now, we are on the field. Even at this moment, our ministers are engaged in relief work, " Thennarasu said.

Pointing out that former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who sought Rs 10,250 crore from the union government in 2015, had distributed Rs 5,000 relief per family then, the DMK minister said that CM M K Stalin has only requested Rs 5,060 crore from the union government and announced Rs 6,000 relief per family now. He also added that the LoP, who stood in knee deep water for a day and returned to Salem, has now sought an enhanced relief sum.

First get funds; then criticize: Minister tells Annamalai

Remarking that people who locked themselves up in Kamalalayam (State BJP headquarters) during the floods have come out and started issuing statements, Thennarasu advised Annnamalai to get the union government to release Rs 5,060 crore sought by Tamil Nadu first before criticising the DMK regime.