Opposition needlessly faulting govt, says RB Udayakumar

CHENNAI: Revenue Minister R. B. Udayakumar slammed the opposition DMK for ‘needlessly’ criticising the State government on handling the water crisis gripping the State and said negative criticism will serve no purpose.

Taking strong exception to the DMK, he said the opposition party was creating an impression that nothing has been done to mitigate the conditions of the people. “But the truth is the State government is taking concrete measures to ensure water supply to the residents. Apart from mobilising tankers for supplying water, the district collectors have been directed to take up drought mitigation works on war footing,” he said on Sunday.

In fact, the AIADMK government has been taking more concerted efforts than the DMK had done when that party was in power, the Minister added. Speaking to reporters in Madurai, Mr. Udayakumar advised the DMK to involve in constructive criticism which alone would help to sever the people better.

With Tamil Nadu reeling under acute water scarcity, the State government had commenced damage control activities on a war footing. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami flew to New Delhi on Saturday and met the Central Water Resources Minister and discussed about the projects for TN. According to Municipality and Rural Administration Minister S. P. Velumani, the State government is doing its best to tackle the ongoing water crisis in TN. “In Chennai, 4,092 infrastructure work has been done at a cost of `2,635.42 crore. Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board also has completed 268 projects at a cost of `5,346 crore. In Municipality level, 4,417 works are in progress at present at an outlay of `196 crore. Similarly, at the Panchayat level, 1.08 lakh projects have been completed at a cost of `1,929 crore,” he had said.