T.N. Rains | Former Minister D. Jayakumar says north Chennai has been hit by inundation

The AIADMK leader asked how the DMK government was going to handle matters when there was more rain expected; the party’s former interim general secretary Sasikala too criticised the government for not finishing stormwater drain work on time

The AIADMK’s organisation secretary and former Fisheries Minister, D. Jayakumar, on Wednesday complained that north Chennai had been hit by inundation, following the rains. 

Observing that the Kolathur assembly constituency [represented by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin] was also hit, Mr Jayakumar, who represented Royapuram several times in the Assembly, told reporters in Pulianthope that a similar situation prevailed in many other parts of the city such as Mambalam, Guindy, Saidapet and Kodambakkam. 

“If this is the situation after the current spell of rain, I wonder how the government is going to handle [matters] in future when there would be rain for many more days to come,” Mr Jayakumar said.  

He also criticised the government for what he claimed was “seeking to intimidate sections of the media” for trying to highlight the issue of flooding or not carrying remarks of Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji.  

In the meantime, the AIADMK’s former interim general secretary, V.K. Sasikala, said the present situation of flooding in the city would not have arisen had the DMK government completed work with regard to stormwater drains. She attributed the problem to the government’s “lackadaisical approach” and “lack of planning.” At least, from now, the government should act expeditiously in baling out rainwater, Ms Sasikala added.