Chennai: Stating that the ruling AIADMK government had failed in executing its responsibility, DMK chief and leader of Opposition M. K. Stalin, on Friday exhorted his party cadre to hit the ground running in preparing to face any flood situation caused by heavy rains and related relief work, in the state.
In a statement on Friday, Stalin said, “With the Indian Meteorological Department predicting heavy rainfall from the northeast monsoon and issuing a ‘red-alert’ warning, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his deputy, O Panneerselvam, have been discussing the Tirupparankundram by-polls in Madurai.
“It is a clear indication that they are shunning the responsibility of governance. The central audit board’s statement is testimony to this. Going by their details of how the AIADMK government which was in power in the state during natural calamities like the tsunami, December 2015 floods, cyclone ‘Vardah’ and cyclone ‘Ockhi’, the ruling party has all along been showing a very callous attitude,” Stalin said.
“The Chief Minister’s trip to Madurai for discussing modalities of electioneering at this point of time, shows that he is not worried about the welfare of the people,” the DMK leader charged.
The Greater Chennai Corporation conducted a meeting on September 18 to review the pre-monsoon preparatory works, he said. “However, those works have not yet been completed and under such circumstances, a red alert has been sounded. Moreover, local administration in the ruling government is an absolute failure,” he added.
The government should have taken desilting of storm water canals covering a distance of 1,894 km three months back, he noted. “It is shameful that the government is preparing to face the situation only after IMD’s alert. Further, garbage dumped in large quantities in all waterbodies and wastes being disposed in open places, are cause for concern. But, even as of now, concerned officials have done little to set right the situation,” Stalin said.
Seeking his party cadres’ help during monsoon, the DMK president urged party functionaries and Parliament and Assembly legislators, who can rope in volunteers and social activists to involve in rain-related relief works and be a source of help to people in distress, in case something worse happens.
