Chennai 2021 floods: A one-man committee prepares its report

Chennai 21 August : The Tamil Nadu government will in depth study the report presented by the one-man committee that was formed to examine the alleged irregularities in the execution of initiatives under the Smart Cities Mission during the previous AIADMK regime.

In the last monsoon in the last monsoon, the T Nagar area in Chennai that was built following the massive expenditure of funds in the Smart City Scheme, was extensively inundated.Sources in the Tamil Nadu government told IANS that the one-man committee of retired IAS officer P.W.C.Davidar provides a thorough and precise analysis of the benefits and drawbacks of the Smart City projects implemented in 11 districts of the state under the Smart City mission.In the words of officials, the report revealed how the smart city initiatives had weaknesses in the implementation process, and has also examined whether the rules of the smart city plan were adhered to in an appropriate and fully-proof way.Chief Minister M.K.Stalin had come out in a fervent manner in opposition to the previous Municipal administration as well as water supply minister S.P.Velumani after examining the areas affected by flooding during the 2021 monsoon timeframe.Stalin was later quoted as saying that nobody knew what happened with the funds that were received through the smart city program.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister, Ma Subramanian while speaking to IANS said, "Chief Minister will study the report in depth and take appropriate steps if any irregularities are discovered." The committee was created in March 2022 after a number of accusations were made against the execution of the smart city plan in Chennai.

Sources in the government have told IANS that the committee conducted extensive inquiries with smart city officials as well as other contractors in all 11 districts in which the projects were carried out in Tamil Nadu.aal/dp.