The Hindu 13.11.2009
Alagiri pulls up Madurai Corporation officials for tardy relief work
Special Correspondent
| Residents complain of non-availability of essential items in ration shops |
— Photo: S. James. 
IN ACTION: M.K. Alagiri, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, visiting a rain-affected area in Madurai on Wednesday.
MADURAI: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers M.K. Alagiri inspected a few pockets in the city, which were affected by rains and pulled up the Corporation authorities for not carrying out rehabilitation work on a war-footing.
The road leading to a ration shop in Ward No. 34 was non-motorable and filled with slush.
During a brief interaction, some local residents claimed non-availability of essential items in the ration shop in their area to the Minister.
Similarly, they also complained about the delay in repairing roads.
Some others claimed that Corporation officials were not present to help them to move to safer places when rainwater inundated low-lying areas. Mr. Alagiri pulled up Mayor G. Thenmozhi and Corporation officials for their inaction and set an ultimatum to carry out the task.
“I will visit the place in a day or two… You should have done your work to the satisfaction of the public (by then).”
He also enquired with some of the party functionaries near the Vaigai river causeway, where a third year engineering college student M. Danasekaran of K. Pudur was washed away on Tuesday midnight, when he was going with his classmate on a two-wheeler. Fire and Rescue Service Department personnel are searching for the victim.
Many women residents near Obulapadithurai area complained to the officials that snakes – big and small – were spotted from the pipes laid underneath the Vaigai river since Tuesday night following water flow in the river.
Traffic along the causeways connecting northern and southern parts of the city on the Vaigai river was blocked for two-wheelers since Wednesday morning.
Even pedestrians were not permitted to cross the causeways.
District Revenue Officer Dinesh Oliver Ponraj and former MLA K. Thalapathi were among those who were present during the Minister’s inspection.
