TIRUNELVELI
Transport Minister R.S. Rajakannappan has instructed officials to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential services, including power, drinking water and transport, and availability of food to the people during north-east monsoon.
Chairing a review meeting here on Wednesday, he said relief camps in sufficient numbers should be kept ready with all facilities for shifting people living in low-lying areas close to the Tamirabharani.
Collector V. Vishnu said relief camps would be created near 63 low-lying areas, including 11 vulnerable areas within the Corporation limits, with all facilities as it was done in mid-January when 65,000 cusecs of water was discharged from Papanasam, Manimuthar and Gadana reservoirs.
Mr. Rajakannappan said the ongoing development projects, including those under Smart City programme, should be completed within the stipulated time with superior quality.
The Minister stressed the need for intensifying COVID-19 vaccination drive in the district as only 21% of the people had received their second dose and 63% the first dose.
Speaker Appavu said the Collector had asked the administrators of places of worship across the district to exhort the hitherto uncovered residents to make use of the vaccination camps to be organised every Saturday.
Mr. Vishnu said the district had created all medical infrastructure, including oxygen and oxygen-supported beds at hospitals, required for facing the anticipated ‘third wave’ of the viral infection. “Since we’ve also created facilities for generating medical-grade oxygen with private companies and the government hospitals to meet the demands of the district, there is no need for depending on other districts for oxygen,” Mr. Vishnu said.
The Speaker appealed to the Collector and the Minister to allocate sufficient funds for creating infrastructure facilities at Kutharapanjan waterfalls and the nearby Kannimarathoppu wild stream to attract tourists.
Corporation Commissioner B. Vishnu Chandran said the urban civic body would be in a position to supply sufficient drinking water to the residents when the Ariyanayagipuram drinking water scheme was commissioned.
“Since 92% of this work has been completed, the goal will be achieved shortly,” he said after Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab wanted the Corporation to sort out the glitches in drinking water supply.
Tirunelveli MP S. Gnana Thiraviam, Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Suresh Kumar participated in the meeting.
Earlier, Mr. Rajakannappan handed over loans to the tune of ₹ 122.16 crore to 1,419 beneficiaries in a ‘loan mela’ organised at VOC Ground, Palayamkottai, in the presence of Mr. Appavu, Mr. Vishu and Mr. Gnanathiraviam.
