TN CM Palaniswami downplays water crisis in state, says media exaggerating it

Edappadi K Palaniswami’s remark comes a day after another state Minister SP Velumani denied that there is a water crisis in Tamil Nadu.

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As Tamil Nadu is facing one of the worst water crisis in the recent past, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami has indicated that the news about water scarcity in the state is being exaggerated by the media.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after visiting Jayalalithaa’s memorial which is under construction, Palaniswami said “If there is water shortage in one place, the media friends blow it up as a big thing. I request you all to not blow it up and show as if the entire Tamil Nadu is reeling under water crisis.”

He added that the government is taking steps to tackle the water shortage wherever there is a problem. Blaming the failure of monsoon for depletion of groundwater levels, Palaniswami also mentioned that the Minister for Municipal administration had conducted a meeting with relevant officials regarding the water situation and the government is taking steps accordingly.

“As far as drinking water is concerned, Amma’s government is supplying water continuously through lorries of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB). Wherever there is drinking water scarcity in Tamil Nadu, water is being supplied to those places through lorries,” he said. Adding that people using this water for all their uses like bathing and washing clothes leads to water shortage, Palaniswami said that the situation is likely to continue till October-November.

“Our Monsoon starts only in October-November and we have to manage water till then. Keeping that in mind, we are supplying water to people. We are also supplying water to people from desalination plants. Hence people have to cooperate with us,” he said.

His remarks come a day after Municipal Administration minister SP Velumani said that the news about water scarcity is ‘manufactured’. Denying that IT companies in the city are instructing their employees to work from home due to non-availability of water and hotels are being shut due to water shortage, SP Velumani said that these problems are being manufactured by some people and that he didn’t want to get into the politics of it.