Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami dedicated the fourth drinking water project, executed at a cost of ₹282.44 crore, to the people of Thoothukudi during MGR birth centenary celebration here on Wednesday.
After unveiling the portrait of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, Mr. Palaniswami inaugurated 214 infrastructure development projects, carried out at a cost of ₹380.94 crore, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M. Thambidurai and State Ministers.
He also laid the foundation for eight projects, to be taken up at an estimated cost of ₹8.08 crore. Welfare assistance to the tune of ₹155.12 crore was also extended to 31,610 beneficiaries on the occasion.
Referring to the drinking water project, Mr. Palaniswami said former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was instrumental in bringing the project, which commenced in 2013.
In 2011, when Jayalalithaa campaigned ahead of the local body polls, she promised to implement the project to end water scarcity by providing clean drinking water to 3.72 lakh people living under Thoothukudi Corporation limits.
Under the project, water was drawn from Maruthur dam. A water treatment-cum-purifying plant was constructed at Vallanadu near the dam with a capacity to treat 84 million litres per day (MLD).
Currently, water was supplied to all houses once in three days and soon it would be supplied daily. The 502-km-pipelines laid under the project would have 60,000 connections. As of now, 10,000 connections had been completed and 50,000 more connections would be given within six months.
Denying the statement made by DMK working president M.K. Stalin regarding plan to stop supply of eggs in noon meal given to children in schools, he said supply of eggs would not be stopped under any circumstances.
He said Mr. Stalin was making baseless statements. After the demise of Jayalalithaa, Mr. Stalin thought that the AIADMK would be dismantled, and dreamt of coming to power, but nothing happened, Mr. Palaniswami said.
He said a ‘manimandapam’ would be constructed for Ci.Pa. Adithanar, founder of Daily Thanthi in Tiruchendur. Stating that a new taluk would be headquartered in Eral, he said veterinary dispensaries would be set up at Periyasamipuram and Akilandapuram in Kayathar panchayat union.
Mr. Panneerselvam said Thoothukudi was the 25th place where MGR birth centenary celebrations were organised.
Earlier, Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju welcomed the gathering.
