Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Friday handed over appointment orders to the kin of 17 persons who were killed or severely wounded in the Thoothukudi police firing incident in May 2018. The appointment orders were handed over based on their educational qualifications.
Three years ago the police had opened fire on anti-Sterlite protestors while they were marching towards Thoothukudi Collectorate demanding closure of the copper smelter unit on charges of polluting the environment and causing health hazard to those living in its surroundings.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated 200 new oxygen-supported beds at the COVID-19 Health Centre inside the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine campus at Thoppur near Madurai.
The beds were part of the first phase of scheme for increasing oxygen-supported beds at the Centre. In the next phase, 300 oxygen-supported beds are expected to be set up. Each bed has an oxygen concentrator, a steam inhaler and a pedestal fan.
Currently, all government hospitals in the district, including Government Rajaji Hospital, have 1,101 oxygen-supported beds and 646 non oxygen-supported beds. Private hospitals in the district have 1,131 oxygen-supported beds and 794 non oxygen-supported beds.
Chairman of Thiagarajar Mills Karumuttu Kannan and his son Hari Thiagarajan spoke to the CM regarding erecting an oxygen plant for ₹50 lakh at Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine at Thoppur. The plant will help to provide oxygen for 50 beds round-the-clock.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P. Moorthy, Cooperation Minister I. Periasamy, Finance Minister P.T.R.P. Thiagarajan, Madurai Member of Parliament Su. Venkatesan, Thoothukudi MP M.K. Kanimozhi, and District Collector Aneesh Sekar were present.
