Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday said that the dengue fever came from a neighbouring State and it did not originate here.
At a function to inaugurate the newly constructed bridge across Cauvery connecting Pallipalayam and Erode, he said the heavy rains led to a change in weather, which, in turn triggered the fever.
“It has been happening for years and the government has been taking action. All of a sudden, there is dengue fever now. It did not originate in our State. It has spread from the neighbouring State,” Mr. Palaniswami said, but did not name the State.
Stating that the dengue mosquitoes breed in fresh water and not in sewage, he detailed the action to be taken by people in every household to counter the threat.
Earlier, he said the opposition parties were spreading falsehood about the prevailing law and order situation in the State for political gains.
The State government, he said, had accorded top priority for maintaining peaceful atmosphere.
The Chief Minister said when the Leader of the Opposition M. K. Stalin raised the issue of law and order problem in the Assembly, he had given a fitting reply for each and every point raised. Despite this, the opposition parties are continuing their efforts to tarnish the image of the State Government, he charged.
The Government has also handled the unprecedented drought in the State much to the satisfaction of all sections of the society, he claimed.
On road connectivity, the Chief Minister said the government has planned to convert the Namakkal-Tiruchi highway into a four-way lane, along with the Tiruchengode-Salem stretch. The Erode-Tiruchengode section will also be widened.
P. Thangamani, Electricity Minister, V. Saroja, Social Welfare Minister, K. A. Sengottaiyan, School Education Minister, K. C. Karuppannan, Minister for Environment, M. Asia Mariam, Namakkal Collector, also spoke.
Earlier at a function held in Vandavasi town, the Chief Minister laid the foundation for the construction of the Government Polytechnic College; the Government B.Ed College; additional building for the Government Higher Secondary School, Ramalingapuram in the Ayodhyapattinam block; and the compound wall for the Periyar University Constituent College.