DMK president M.K. Stalin on Sunday said the State government should “wake up from its slumber” and speed up relief work in districts affected by Cyclone Gaja.
“The Chief Minister should have stayed in these districts for four or five days to expedite relief work. But he is not in a position to visit these districts because the people are protesting against the government and staging blockades,” he told mediapersons in Vikravandi after touring cyclone-affected areas in Pudukottai.
Though Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had claimed that the government was undertaking relief measures on a war-footing and had announced that he would visit the affected areas, he couldn’t do so as no relief efforts had been carried out, Mr. Stalin alleged.
The DMK leader said he had met people in Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam, Tharangampadi, Mannargudi and Pattukottai who complained that no Minister or government official had visited their respective areas.
“There is no power supply, and people are suffering due to the lack of water supply. Trees have been uprooted and roads have not been cleared for traffic. Over 50 people [the government has put the toll at 45] have lost their lives,” he added.
Earlier, the DMK leader visited a couple of villages in Pudukottai districtto get a first-hand view of the damage and hear the grievances of the residents.
He went to Sothupaalai village in Pudukottai Union and heard from the villagers about the extent of the damage caused to banana plantations, trees and civil infrastructure.
Though he was scheduled to proceed to Alangudi, he could not make it to the village as the condition of the road was poor, and fallen trees were yet to be cleared.