The dumping of debris in Mambalam Canal was the primary reason behind several parts of T. Nagar witnessing waterlogging during the recent heavy rain, Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru said in the Assembly on Thursday. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that a probe would be initiated into the implementation of Smart City scheme in T. Nagar.
During a debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address to the House, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami raised the issue and referred to the heavy waterlogging in various parts of the city, especially T. Nagar. He said that the DMK government did not take up desilting work when it had five months after assuming office in May.
Mr. Stalin pointed out that waterlogging was generally reported in T. Nagar even when other parts of the city had water stagnating after rain.
“During the erstwhile DMK governments, we have desilted the Mambalam Canal and it was set right but the Smart City scheme was not implemented properly by the AIADMK government”, the CM said.
Mr. Palaniswami pointed out that only 3-km of the 5.3-km stretch of the Mambalam Canal was under the Smart City scheme and went on to list the works undertaken during the AIADMK regime.
Mr. Nehru intervened to contend that the primary reason for waterlogging in T. Nagar was because of the debris that was dumped in the Mambalam Canal. “Your officers [under the AIADMK government] had told us,” he said.
The AIADMK leader said that the officers under the DMK government should have visited the site. He demanded higher compensation for farmers affected by the recent rain. Instead of waiting for the Central government to sanction funds, the State government should use the State Disaster Response Fund, he added.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said funds under the SDRF have been spent and after getting the Assembly nod, compensation would be granted to farmers.
Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran said that ₹96.92 crore was sanctioned on January 4 to provide input subsidy relief assistance to farmers, whose agricultural and horticultural crops were damaged in the recent rain.
