The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday alleged that the flooding in Chennai could have been avoided had the government and civic bodies initiated strong precautionary measures.
In a statement here, party’s State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s reasoning that three months of rain lashed the city in a few days causing the heavy inundation could not be accepted. “Even if it was six months of rain on a single day, the administration should have been ready to tackle it.”
Urging the government to be proactive to ensure the flooding is not repeated, Ms. Tamilisai said the cleaning and de-silting of Cooum river, which could take enormous amounts of flood water during the monsoon, could be one such project.
Leaders visit flooded areas
Meanwhile, leaders of several political parties visited areas severely affected by water stagnation and distributed relief material. DMDK chief and leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Vijayakant met people of several localities in central Chennai and assured them that he would take up the issue of poor civic amenities in a big way.
While DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin toured over ten different localities, including Ms. Jayalalithaa’s Assembly constituency R.K. Nagar; PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss chose to meet people at Mr. Stalin’s constituency of Kolathur. Mr. Anbumani said the situation on the ground showed the ineffectiveness of the Corporation of Chennai.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko distributed food to rain-affected people in Tambaram, while former Union Minister G.K. Vasan gave away relief material to people in several localities across Chennai.
Later, DMK president M. Karunanidhi said the party would support all relief measures the government would undertake. In a statement, he said those needing help could call two helplines — 04424320280 and 7810878108— that would function at Anna Arivalayam, the party headquarters.
