TIRUCHY: Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management KA Sengottaiyan said on Wednesday that the TVK government had completed 40% of the stormwater drain works in Chennai that the DMK government had left unfinished within the past four months.
Speaking to reporters after a review meeting at the Tiruchy Collectorate on Wednesday, he was asked about the DMK's claim that the completion of stormwater drain works worth Rs 4,000 crore during its tenure had prevented waterlogging on roads during heavy rain in Chennai.
“The DMK government had failed to complete 40% of the works, and the TVK government had completed them after assuming office. Every political party has a responsibility to implement infrastructure development for the people during its tenure. Had these responsibilities been fulfilled properly, the present government would not have had to undertake such works over the past four months,” he said.
While elaborating on the steps being taken to face the prevailing El Niño, the minister said that they had instructed officials to complete all precautionary measures that needed to be taken on a priority basis, considering the possibility of a super El Niño. The Chief Minister had also been coordinating the work of all departments over the past three months, he said.
In Chennai, the Chief Minister had been conducting daily reviews by dividing the city into 15 zones and deploying 15 IAS officers and seven ministers to monitor the preparedness measures, he said.
“The government is prepared to deal with natural disasters effectively. Seventeen IAS officers and seven ministers have been appointed to identify areas affected by rain in Chennai and take immediate remedial measures,” the minister said.
The minister declined to comment when asked about the arrest of a TVK functionary in connection with a narcotics-related case in Nagapattinam.