Chennai: PMK founder S Ramadoss on Sunday came down heavily on ministers for claiming the recent incessant rains that lashed the metropolis and suburbs has not affected people's lives. He said their remarks would cause "more damage to the state" than the downpour. In a statement, Ramadoss asked ministers like D.Jayakumar and O. S. Manian to ascertain the real and factual situation before speaking to reporters about the rains in Tamil Nadu. Quoting media interactions of Agriculture Minister Duraikannu, Jayakumar and Manian in different locations, Ramadoss said their statements have brought irritation and sadness among the people.
"Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts have been badly affected due to rains and some areas near Tambaram in Chennai have witnessed floods. People living in low-lying areas have fled the city to their native places fearing more flood in the coming days and two girls died due to electrocution in the city", Ramadoss said in a state-ment.
In this situation, the primary job of the Tamil Nadu Government is to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures in these areas and petition the Prime Minister about the damage caused by the monsoon rains. "Instead of doing such things, ministers' statements that there is no damage due to rains have caused much damage to the state", he said. Ramadoss said ministers should be asked to refrain from making statements about the situation. Instead, officials should be given a free hand to carry out relief and rehabilitation works in the city and elsewhere, he concluded.
