TN rain: Stalin asks DMK cadre to take part in rescue, relief operations as CM and deputy are ‘busy with bypoll work’

CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Friday advised his party members to be involved in rescue and relief operations in rain-affected areas of Tamil Nadu without waiting for the government to act since chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam are busy preparing for the Thiruparankundram byelection.
"DMK members must involve themselves in northeast monsoon preparedness as well as post monsoon relief and rescue work. Even though a red alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are busy with other work instead of taking steps to deal with the situation arising out of rain," Stalin said in a statement.

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Quoting newspaper reports, Stalin said in Chennai work to clean the storm water drains had just started. "Work to clear storm water drains in Chennai, which is to the extent of 1894km, has commenced only 15 days ago though it should have started three months in advance,” he said.

"Similar situation prevails in other districts too. The local bodies are not prepared to face the monsoon,” he said.

“The AIADMK governments in the past too were not prepared -- be it tsunami or cyclone or floods," Stalin said.

“Thus, our partymen must not depend on a government which is on a sleeping mode. They should involve themselves in rescue and relief operations,” he said.

On Thursday, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam were in Madurai to attend a consultative meeting with AIADMK cadre ahead of the Thiruparankundram bypoll. The bypoll date is yet to be announced.

On Friday, the chief minister, the deputy chief minister and other ministers held a meeting with senior officials to take stock of the monsoon preparedness.