The State government should open community kitchen in rural areas and ensure that the needy who have lost their homes due to the rain had access to food round the clock, said former Revenue and Disaster Management Minister R. B. Udayakumar here on Thursday.
Following water release from Vaigai dam, the MLA and senior functionaries from the party visited Melakkal and Sholavandan areas in Madurai district. Speaking to reporters, he said that the district administration should keep the public informed about water being released from the reservoir as many people were caught unawares when they go to the river for taking bath and washing clothes, he said.
The continuous rain had damaged many dwellings at the Uchapatti Sri Lankan refugee camp. Likewise, complaints of water stagnation had been reported in many low-lying areas. The district administration should work in tandem with the disaster management team and ensure that the stagnating water was pumped out.
He urged the officials to release water from the Vaigai dam into the 58-canal as the storage level in the dam had crossed the 67-feet mark. During the AIADMK rule, water was released thrice, he said.
Delta issue
The State government should immediately deploy teams to assess the extent of damage to samba crop in the Cauvery delta region as several lakhs of standing crops were under water. The government, instead of waiting for the water to recede, should despatch teams and report them to the Central government for getting sufficient relief, Mr. Udayakumar said.
Though Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had been making visits to low-lying areas in Chennai, things had not been moving as people still remained in knee-deep water. The CM should ensure that the official machinery was in place. As opposition party (AIADMK), the MLAs and MPs would point out the expectations of the people. The government should take them in the right perspective and not simply describe it as “ indulging in politics,” he said.
The AIADMK was doing its duty and would continue to portray the negatives to the government. Former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam had been appreciating the government whenever they did good. For instance, after the AIADMK leaders suggested that free food be provided through Amma Unavagams for the needy during the calamity, the government implemented it, he said.