Chennai floods: Tamil Nadu political parties refute chief secretary’s statement on water release

CHENNAI: Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Monday questioned the facts presented by chief secretary K Gnanadesikan in defence of releasing water from the Chembarambakkam lake that inundated Chennai and its suburbs in the first week of December.
In a statement on Sunday, Gnanadesikan said adequate warning had been issued before release of water and it was released stage by stage.
DMK treasurer M K Stalin said only after questions were raised from various sources, Gnanadesikan has come out with a reply.
"The chief secretary has said that there is no need for the chief minister, ministers and the chief secretary to give their permission for release of water. But for the past four and half years, all statements say ‘as ordered by the chief minister’. People will understand the truth." said Stalin.
He said DMK president M Karunanidhi in a memorandum to Governor K Rosaiah had demanded a judicial probe into the release of water. “If the government has nothing to hide, why is the government not ready for a probe,” asked Stalin.
PMK chief S Ramadoss alleged that the chief secretary's statement on the quantum of water released and time of release has some contradictions.
"The chief secretary on page 6 of his statement describes that 10,000 cusecs was released at 10am on December 1 and it increased to 12,000 at 12pm and to 20,000 cusecs at 2pm. On the next page, while explaining that the Chennai collector had issued warning, he says at 11.20pm 7,500 cusecs was released and at 1.32pm 20,000 cusecs was released. Which data should we believe," asked Ramadoss.
Saidapet bridge was submerged and Ekkattuthangal bridge was submerged partially. These bridges can submerge only if water in the Adyar river crosses 1 lakh cusecs, said Ramadoss.
Ramadoss wanted to know the quantum of water released and also if proper warning had been issued before releasing water.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief E V K S Elangovan also questioned Gnanadesikan. "Is the Tamil Nadu government not aware of that fact that water flows into the Adyar river from many sources, apart from the Chembarambakkam lake? If 29,000 cusecs is released into the Adyar from the Chembarambakkam lake, what about the excess water from other tanks and lakes which also flow into the Adyar," asked Elangovan.
In 2005, central government passed the Disaster Management Act, but the state-level committee under chief minister J Jayalalithaa had not met even once before December 2 this year (after flood water inundated Chennai). "A government must strive to prevent disasters rather than act after a disaster has struck a state," said Elangovan.