Thiruma urges TN to procure machine to clean septic tanks

CHENNAI: VCK President Thol Thirumavalavan on Monday urged the State government to procure a machine designed by IIT-Madras to clean septic tanks and drainages.

Thirumavalan along with MPs of various parties participated in the second DISHA meeting held at the Secretariat in which he placed the demands of VCK. Following the meeting, Thirumavalavan, while addressing the media, said: “To prevent the loss of lives while cleaning the septic tanks and underground drainages IIT- Madras has designed a machine to clean. The cost of the machine is Rs 20 lakh and the state government should procure the machines and should give it to all the municipal and town panchayat administrations."

Thirumavalavan also said that still the name 'cheris' are used to denote the residence of scheduled caste people and they should be removed by passing appropriate GOs. "Names of Periyar and Ambedkar should be named after the residences (of scheduled caste people). The State government has already passed orders to remove the caste names for streets in rural areas but still they have not been removed. We have urged the state government to remove the caste names from the streets,” said Thirumavalavan.

Congress MP Su Thirunavukkarasar, who also participated in the DISHA meeting, said that of the 37 lakh students in the state and 10 lakh have been identified as malnourished. At present, health mix and three eggs per week is provided to those malnourished children, but it is not sufficient and should increase the number. "The State government should provide eggs on all seven days to malnourished children," said Thirunavukkarasar.