Since yesterday evening until midnight, Chennai has been lashed by extremely heavy rain. At its peak, more than 36 cm of rain fell in Paris. Municipal corporation workers have been actively engaged in removing rainwater that has accumulated in many places. However, many of the key ministers who were supposed to be on the ground were absent on the rainy night yesterday.
From 6 p.m. yesterday until midnight, heavy rain fell in various parts of Chennai. Officials and staff, led by Municipal Corporation Commissioner Samiran, visited several locations in person, inspected the situation, and accelerated the work. However, many of the ministers who were supposed to be on the ground with the officials were absent last night.
As a precaution for the northeast monsoon, 7 in-charge ministers had been appointed for Chennai’s 15 zones. Their details are:
- Tiruvottiyur, Manali – Ramesh
- Madhavaram, Tondiarpet – Lokesh
- Royapuram, Tiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar – Arunraj
- Ambattur, Anna Nagar, Teynampet – Vijay Balaji
- Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam – Prabhu
- Alandur, Adyar – Tamilan Parthiban
- Perungudi, Sholinganallur – Vignesh
None of these ministers came to the areas assigned to them during last night’s rain. On behalf of the TVK, only Public Works Minister Aadhav inspected the rain damage at midnight.
The weather department had announced that there would be heavy rain in Chennai from October 17 to 21. In addition, a rain precautionary meeting was also held at the Chennai Ripon Building on October 14. All the ministers in charge attended that meeting.
Even though a heavy rain warning had been issued, many of the ministers in charge appointed by the Chief Minister had gone to their constituencies and to events in other districts after giving dates. Senior minister Sengottaiyan, who holds the Revenue and Disaster Management portfolio, was also not in Chennai during this critical situation. He too was in his hometown.
The Water Resources Minister Anand, who is next in line to the Chief Minister in the cabinet, has also not been seen outside. Municipal Corporation and disaster relief department officials have been shuttling between the control room and the field to get the work done. Officials say Chief Minister Vijay is asking for rain updates once every hour. But the ministers who should have been coordinating the work from the field and updating the Chief Minister have not even come to the field.
Even though the in-charge ministers were appointed two months ago, their absence at the spot during the night of torrential rain has caused dissatisfaction among the public. Sources in the Secretariat say that, on the Chief Minister’s orders, the in-charge ministers will reach Chennai by tonight.