Palaniswami decries T.N. govt.’s move to build convention centre in Karunanidhi’s name

Edappadi K. Palaniswami. File
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday (November 8, 2024) decried the DMK government’s move to build a convention centre in the name of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi using taxpayers’ money.  

In a statement, Mr. Palaniswami contended that the DMK government had either abandoned or been carrying out with tardy progress a number of developmental projects and schemes initiated by the previous AIADMK regime. It had not taken up the linking of the South Pennai river with Palar and Cheyyar rivers at a cost of ₹320 crore for want of funds. Instead, it had been incurring “unnecessary expenditure” to perpetuate the memory of Karunanidhi, Mr. Palaniswami alleged. In this regard, he referred to the government floating bids for the construction of the convention centre in Muttukadu on ECR in Chennai at a cost of ₹487 crore.  

“If [Chief Minister] M.K. Stalin wants to have government buildings in the name of his father, let him build them out of the funds of his Trust. The execution of several welfare projects has been stalled on the ground of inadequacy of funds,” Mr. Palaniswami said, calling upon the State government to set apart funds for such projects and schemes.  

OPS on cable TV operators

Meanwhile, the ADMK Workers’ Rights Retrieval Committee Coordinator O. Panneerselvam referred to a reported statement of the Tamil Nadu Cable Operators Association, which had talked about the migration of cable TV operators from Arasu Cable TV to private DTH operators on account of non-commencement of distribution of DTH set top boxes and the non-availability of service centres for old set top boxes. 

Criticising the State government, Mr. Panneerselvam called for the early distribution of DTH boxes.

The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, meanwhile, urged the government to abandon the “politics of publicity” and take immediate steps to prevent the death of people on account of dengue in the State.