Lamenting that two-year-old Sujith Wilson had died despite the ‘optimal’ utilisation of technology and manpower in the rescue operation, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday sought the people’s fullest cooperation in closing down defunct borewells and preventing such incidents in the future.
Mr. Palaniswami announced ₹10 lakh as compensation from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the bereaved family. Another ₹10 lakh will be provided on behalf of the AIADMK, he said. The operation was carried out with the help of expert opinion of geologists, the CM said, as he sought to rebut DMK leader M.K. Stalin’s allegation that the government had handled the issue in an inept manner . Mr. Stalin had asked why the government did not approach the Army for help. The CM said Mr. Stalin had made this point even when a barrage collapsed in Mukkombu. “The Army had certified that the State Public Works Department had adopted the right approach. Mr. Stalin is trying to mislead the people with a narrow-minded political agenda.” He recalled a similar incident in Theni district in 2009 under the DMK regime, when a six-year-old died in a borewell. “Was any technology used then? Did the erstwhile government approach the Army for help?” he asked.
