TIRUCHY, CHENNAI: Expressing doubts over the sum spent on desilting of water bodies in Tamil Nadu, DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday has demanded that the state government come out with a white paper on the amount spent on desilting water bodies.
Also, he urged the government to recall at least the senior bureaucrats who had gone to central services on deputation, so as to take up rain relief work on war footing.
He claimed that the funds allocated for the Kudimaramathu scheme (involving the people’s participation to desilt water bodies) had not been utilised properly and said and sought a white paper on the money spent on the project and the total work completed as well.
“Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami claims that around Rs 400 crore was spent on desilting major and minor water bodies in the state as part of Kudimaramathu. If the claim is true, the government should come out with a white paper on the fund utilised and projects completed in villages and towns”, Stalin told reporters in Tiruchy.
“We had been asking the government to take precautionary measures ahead of the northeast monsoon. But the government is lethargic and didn’t give heed to our demands. As a result, major parts of Chennai have been flooded after it started to rain”, Stalin said and added had the water bodies been maintained properly, the northeast monsoon would help to harness surplus water.
In a statement, he said the administration has been affected owing to the vacancies in IAS cadre that arose following the deputation of 35 bureaucrats for Central services.
“At least the senior IAS officers should be recalled to tackle the situation and take up rain relief works,” he said. “I am a great fan of MGR (former CM M.G. Ramachandran who founded the AIADMK) and I have not underestimated his capabilities”, Stalin said while addressing a meeting in Pudukottai. “Unfortunately, the ruling AIADMK which is organising MGR centenary rallies, is targeting the DMK rather than extolling the greatness of MGR,” he said.
