Chennai: The State Electricity minister, Mr P Thangamani on Friday informed the Assembly that the work of laying underground power cables for domestic and other consumers in greater Chennai will be completed by 2021.
This is a massive work going on at a cost of Rs 2,567 crore in the interests of safety of the people and will cover 6,532 km in the city, he said, in response to an intervention made by DMK Opposition leader
M. K. Stalin during question hour.
In Kolathur, constituency of Mr. Stalin, 90 per cent of the work has been completed and since the cable laying work could be done only at nights, it was taking some time, he clarified.
Mr. Stalin said overhead electric lines was posing a hazard causing electrocutions and other mishaps during rainy season in particular and urged that the underground cable laying work in the city be expedited.
Later, the Assembly today took up discussions on the demands for grants for the departments of Handlooms and Textiles, Khadi, Agriculture and Handicrafts and Silk development. The discussions and the reply by the concerned ministers O S Manian, Mr Bhaskar, and R Duraikkannu and Mr. Benjamin respectively, went on till late in the evening.
Intervening in the debate, the Handlooms minister Mr. Manian appealed to the people at large to wear handloom cloth for at least two days in a week as it will help to stabilize the livelihood of handloom weavers when demand for handloom cloth went up.
In a sidelight, Kongu Ilagnar Peravai MLA, Mr Thaniarasu urged the government to consider mobile Tasmac shops, particularly in rural areas not served by regular wine shops. This left the House in splits as members had a good laugh.
