CHENNAI: Senior officials faced the wrath of MLAs and MPs

Chennai: Expressing the anger brewing among the people, MLAs and MPs of the ruling DMK targeted officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation, Water Resources, Public Works and Electricity departments as the northeast monsoon is about to arrive but many works are still incomplete. The officials were forced to run from pillar to post to avoid the barrage of questions by the public representatives, that too in the presence of senior ministers. Notably, this criticism comes just days after Chief Minister MK Stalin assured the people that Chennai and its surrounding areas will not be affected by the monsoon this time. The review meeting on northeast monsoon preparedness held at Ripon Building, the headquarters of Greater Chennai Corporation, on Friday was attended by senior ministers Duraimurugan (Water Resources), KN Nehru (Municipal Administration & Water Supply), EV Velu (PWD & Highways), Alandur MLA TM Anbarasan (MSME), Chepauk-Triplicane MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin (Youth Affairs & Sports), Saidapet MLA Ma Subramanian (Health & Family Welfare), and Harbour MLA PK Sekharbabu (HR&CE & CMDA).

Lok Sabha members from North, Central and South Chennai constituencies as well as MLAs representing Chennai and surrounding districts also attended the meeting. At the meeting, Minister Nehru expressed his concerns about projects that were started long ago but are yet to be completed. When officials said the work was still going on, Nehru got visibly annoyed and categorically told the officials of the concerned department not to make excuses and focus on completing the work.

Central Chennai MP Dayanidhi Maran said many areas in his constituency were still grappling with rain and flood-related problems. Maran said the officials had not yet taken any action to fix them. He said the lack of preparedness had put them in a fix as they were unable to give any answers to the people of their constituency. Tensions escalated at the review meeting when elected representatives of the ruling DMK raised several concerns with government officials and sought answers. In the end, the ministers told officials in clear terms that the problems should be resolved before the monsoon arrives so that life is not disrupted even in the event of heavy rains.