Chennai: The issue of water crisis echoed in the Assembly today with the opposition parties blaming the AIADMK government for not taking necessary steps to address the problem.
In response, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the DMK and Congress should talk to the Karnataka government to release Cauvery water, since Congress is alliance partner of the JD(S) government in the neighbouring State and DMK is an ally of the Congress.
A special attention calling motion regarding the water scarcity in the city was brought in the Assembly by the opposition.
Speaking on this, Palaniswami said, “The State is facing a drought like situation because of which the groundwater level has reduced. The government is taking adequate measures to ensure regular supply of water to people. Karnataka government is not releasing Cauvery water despite the Supreme Court’s order and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction. Members of Congress which is in alliance of the Karnataka government have not taken any step to make it release Cauvery water,” he said.
He further said, “Congress president Rahul Gandhi during his campaign in Karnataka said if the party forms the government in the Centre it will construct a dam in Mekedatu. He also said the CWRC will be dissolved. Why hasn’t the DMK and Congress opposed his statement?”
Congress member Ramaswamy said it is the duty of the government to get water from the neighbourhing State.
“A committee should be formed for this purpose and the opposition will extend full support,” he added.Ā Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said 1,25,123 drinking water works have been undertaken at the cost of 15,584 crore in 2016-2018.
In response to the attention calling motion, he said despite the present situation, water is supplied to the people without any hindrance.
Earlier, DMK president M K Stalin said one day should be allocated for the legislators to discuss about the water scarcity and everyone’s opinion should be heard in the issue.
“Though the move of bringing water from Jolarpettai and supplying water in lorries is appreciable, all these are temporary solutions. The government should focus on finding a permanent answer to these problems,” he said.
The DMK also staged a walkout condemning Pudhucherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi’s statement related to the water scarcity in the State.
Speaking to mediapersons outside the Assembly, Stalin said, “Kiran Bedi in her statement has called the people of Tamilnadu as cowards and selfish which is highly condemnable. The government is in the mindset even to accept that statement and we have staged a walkout to show our protest.”