South TN Floods: CM Stalin holds virtual meet with bureaucrats, ministers

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin took stock of the flood situation in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu from New Delhi through a video call with ministers and bureaucrats. Stalin also said that they were in a challenging time of inspiring confidence among the people.

Stalin, who left for the national capital to meet and seek funds from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for floor relief and also attend the INDIA bloc meeting, said that though the water discharge from dams in western ghats were reduced, people have been stranded in floods in many areas of Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts owing to the heavy downpour during the last two days.

"Our primary duty now must be rescuing the stranded people and preventing life loss, " he said, appealing to the NDRF, SDRF, police, fire personnel and revenue officials to work in tandem on field.

Instructing the officials to rescue the stranded people and move them to new relief camps, the CM asked officials to ensure the supply of food and other basic requirements to the people at relief camp immediately.

Stating that it was a challenging time when they must work together to save people's lives and live up to their confidence in the government, the CM said that the government machinery must work in the same speed and coordination in the southern districts, as it did during the Chennai floods early this month.

Stalin also interacted with the people in the relief camps and enquired about the facilities provided to them. State finance minister Thangam Thennarasu, state sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, chief secretary Shiv Das Meena, state DGP Shankar Jiwal and collectors of the flood affected districts also took part in the meeting.

Earlier in the day, the CM additionally deputed ministers E V Velu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Raja Kannappan and P Moorthy besides the ministers already stationed there to oversee flood rescue and relief works.