TIRUNELVELI: Minister Gingee K S Masthan on Wednesday said people have lost lives in hooch tragedies during all regimes, and the present government in Tamil Nadu has been taking stringent action against those preparing and selling illicit liquor. Responding to queries from media persons on the hooch tragedy in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts that claimed the lives of over 20 people, the minister said, "This is not something new. The anti-socials who sell illicit liquor keep changing their place of work, not their occupation."
"The DMK government is taking stern action against the miscreants. They will be booked under sections of the Goondas Act. However, it will be good if the AIADMK party, which is criticising us now, spends some time recollecting the Thoothukudi firing incident. The then chief minister did not go to meet the firing victims, but Chief Minister MK Stalin met the hooch tragedy victims and offered them assistance," he said.
Masthan also distributed welfare assistance to 293 beneficiaries from minority communities in the presence of Assembly Speaker M Appavu and Collector Dr K P Karthikeyan on Wednesday. "The works for laying roads, drinking water, and other basic amenities are being carried out at an outlay of `1.16 crore at the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps in Samugarengapuram, Gopalasamudram, Perumalpuram, Aladiyur, and Gangaikondan. The state government will also construct 194 houses for the refugees in Gangaikondan, Perumalpuram, and Aladiyur camps," the minister added.