BJP’s K. Annamalai urges action to tackle floods

K. Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP president, visited the inundated Marakkanam salt pans caused by Cyclone Fengal. The head of the BJP visited the plains, spoke with the salt pan workers, and heard their grievances.

Nearly 80% of the salt bed in Marakkanam, a high-salinity cultivation area in Tamil Nadu, was swept away during the floods. “We are speaking in the Marakkanam area, which is where high cultivation of salt occurs,” Annamalai told ANI. Almost 5,000 individuals are losing their job opportunities as almost 80% of this salt bed is being swept away.

As was the case with Chennai, which experienced flooding in 2015, several parts of Tamil Nadu are vulnerable to flooding. “We all know that there is a very increasing nature of damage that is happening to Tamil Nadu every year,” Annamalai said in an interview with ANI. This year’s focus is more on the coastal belt, delta belt, and all the way up to Nagapatnam than it was last year, which focused more on Chennai and the surrounding areas.

“Every year we keep urging the Govt of Tamil Nadu to do proper desilting work but they don’t do it…,” the state head of the BJP further criticized the Tamil Nadu government for ignoring calls for thorough desilting work.The Tamil Nadu government is not making any investments in desilting.The blame game is all that has taken place; no preparatory work has been done.

On Saturday, Cyclone Fengal made landfall in Tamil Nadu between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, creating extensive disruptions across Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. In four districts—Nilgiris, Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Puducherry—schools were closed on Tuesday.

Cyclone Fengal has devastated 14 districts in Tamil Nadu, flooding 2,11 lakh hectares of agriculture, according to Chief Minister MK Stalin’s statement on Monday. The Prime Minister should provide Rs 2000 crore from the NDRF, the Chief Minister pleaded.

In 14 districts of Tamil Nadu, Cyclone Fengal has caused unheard-of devastation, hurting 1.5 crore people, flooding 2.11 lakh hectares of crops, and destroying vital infrastructure. I implore Hon. @PMOIndia Thiru. @NarendraModi to allocate Rs2000 crore from the NDRF right now in order to support urgent restoration and rehabilitation operations, considering the extent of the damage.”