Chennai: Charging Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani with lying that there is no water crisis in Tamilnadu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K S Alagiri says the government has not been able to give water to the parched tongues of the State.
Speaking to mediapersons this morning at the airport, Alagiri suggested that the Tamilnadu government talk to neighbouring States and seek at least 2 tmcft of water to tide over the crisis.
The TNCC president referred to Velumani’s media meet yesterday where he dismissed the State’s water crisis as “manufactured news”.
“Imagine how many schemes we have put in place if we have given Tamilnadu 2,470 MLD water extra in the last eight years. All schemes have been put in place and we are doing a good job. Despite this because there is no rain, we are facing problems,” Velumani was at pains to point out.
He said Chennai had not received rain for over 190 days. Despite this, “Amma’s government is working for providing water continuously and our authorities are rushing to solve the problems that arise”, he claimed.
When the Minister’s attention was drawn to reports of IT companies asking its employees to work from home and hotels shutting down, he brushed it aside. Stating that it was a norm for IT employees to work from home, he argued that this was not because of water scarcity.
He said hotel association leaders have assured him that hotels had not shut down. Velumani had a straight face when he said it was all the work of some people “instigating the issue”.