Putting to rest the debate among some AIADMK Ministers seeking the creation of a second capital for Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday said those were the personal opinions of the individual concerned, and not that of the government.
Mr. Palaniswami was responding to a media query on Tourism Minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan’s recent remarks on Tiruchi having all the qualities to be the State’s second capital.
The Chief Minister observed, “It is the personal opinion of the individual concerned.”
Prior to Mr. Natarajan’s comments, Co-operation Minister Sellur K. Raju and Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar had said that Madurai should be made the second capital of the State.
Containment measures
Meanwhile, reviewing the COVID-19 containment measures in Dharmapuri, the Chief Minister said the district fared well, and fever camps were being conducted daily in the district.
As on August 19, 1,064 people were infected; 868 people had returned home after treatment while 11 had died. Of the casualties, only four belonged to Dharmapuri, he said. On local works, Mr. Palaniswami said, the government was in the process of implementing the Jerthalav project. The project was in the first stage of land acquisition.
Similarly, land acquisition process is under way for the Enekol water harvesting project, he added.
Dharmapuri MP Senthil Kumar (DMK) got into a tussle with the police, after they blocked his attempt to hand over a petition to the Chief Minister.
High drama prevailed after Dr. Senthil Kumar made a bid to cross the barricade set up by the police, even as they forcibly stopped him.
A tussle ensued after the MP refused to be held back and insisted that he be allowed to meet the Chief Minister as a representative of the constituency.
