DHARMAPURI: Putting an end to the row over ministers coming up with names of different cities for a possible second capital of the State, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has said that they were views of individuals, and not that of the government.

He was responding to a query from reporters here on Thursday about the recent public statements by ministers on making Madurai or Tiruchy as a second capital for Tamil Nadu. Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar had recently passed a resolution urging the high command to make Madurai the second capital. This was backed by Cooperatives Minister Sellur K Raju.

This was shortly followed by a chorus to announce Tiruchy as the second capital, with Tourism Minister Vellamandi N Natarajan saying, “it was also the dream of AIADMK founder MGR.” At the press meet, Palaniswami also spoke about the two-language policy, reiterating that the State government was firm on its stand. 

Over 93K people tested in Dharmapuri camps

On the recent incident of fake application requesting selection of Hindi as part of the third language in an elementary school in Coimbatore, the Chief Minister said severe action will be taken against the publisher of the fake form. Earlier, chairing a review meeting at the Collectorate, the Chief Minister said, “Covid has badly affected the whole world. Measures are in place to curb infection. In Dharmapuri, as many as 1,064 people have been infected. Over 868 people have recovered and been so far.

Only eleven deaths have been recorded.” Currently, a total of 185 people are receiving treatment and 37,501 RT-PCR tests have so far been conducted in the district, he said. “In Dharmapuri alone, two testing centres have been set up. In Dharmapuri Medical College alone, a total of 1,030 beds have been set up. Another 360 beds have been set up in three other government hospitals, while 180 beds have been set up in three private hospitals,” he added.

Six COVID care centres have been put in place in government buildings and 996 beds have been arranged. Dharmapuri has also stocked up on necessary PPT kits and protective gear for a month, the Chief Minister said. “As many as 58 fever camps are being held every day. Over 1,095 camps have been conducted so far, where over 93,415 have been tested and the infected have been identified and treated early. Currently, the maternity and the paediatric ward is being constructed at the Dharmapuri MCH at a cost of Rs 10 crore. In Pennagaram GH, an ICU ward is under construction at a cost of Rs 2.54 crore. In Palacode GH, additional wards are being constructed at a cost of Rs 6 crore,” he said.