India News | “Taking All Necessary Precautions”: TN Health Minister on Monsoon Readiness; 27,150 Benefit from Chennai Medical Camps

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 23 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Health Minister Arun Raj on Friday said the state government was taking all necessary precautionary measures to tackle the monsoon season, adding that 100 medical camps were being conducted daily in Chennai to provide healthcare services and detect potential disease outbreaks at an early stage.

Speaking to reporters during an inspection of medical camps in Chennai, Raj said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had held three review meetings with ministers and officials from the concerned departments to assess monsoon preparedness.

Also Read | Karnataka High Court Quashes FIR Against 13 Over Posters Calling Supreme Court Verdict 'Denial of Justice'.

"Under the leadership of our Chief Minister, we are taking all the necessary precautions during the monsoon season. The CM has held meetings with all the concerned departments, and ministers have been assigned to different zones," Raj said.

The Health Minister said the government had taken steps to minimise disruption caused by heavy rainfall and ensure that normal life was restored quickly in affected areas.

Also Read | Centre Extends Deployment of 273 CAPF Companies in Delhi Till October 31 Amid Flash Protest Fears.

He said around 800 medical camps had been conducted across Chennai between October 15 and October 22, with approximately 27,150 people benefiting from the initiative. During the period, 91 fever cases and around nine cases of diarrhoea were identified at the camps, he added.

Raj said the Health Department had issued a detailed circular to government hospitals directing them to remain prepared for the monsoon season, maintain adequate stocks of medicines and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply.

"All types of medicines are in adequate stock. There is no problem regarding that. Our medical infrastructure remains robust," he said.

The minister also said around 900 to 1,000 medical camps were being organised daily across Tamil Nadu to take healthcare services directly to people's doorsteps.

He added that dengue prevention measures had been strengthened, with Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs) deployed to inspect households and identify containers or other items where rainwater could accumulate and enable mosquito breeding.

Raj urged residents to prevent water stagnation around their homes and drink boiled and cooled water during the rainy season to reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses.

Addressing concerns over drinking water quality in parts of Chennai, the minister said residents at a medical camp had raised complaints about the long-standing supply of clean drinking water. He said officials had contacted the Regional Commissioner and Metro Water authorities to address the issue.

On allegations of inadequate doctors and medicines at a government healthcare facility in the Puzhal area, Raj said he would look into the matter.

He also said construction work on a healthcare facility in Venus Nagar, Kolathur, was nearing completion, with the installation of a lift and the laying of tiles on the upper floor remaining. The facility would be opened to the public within two to three weeks, he added.

Responding to criticism over the government's position on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Raj said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) supported the objective of maintaining accurate electoral rolls but opposed the manner in which the exercise was being conducted.

“Free and fair elections are the root of democracy. For that, the electoral roll should be all-inclusive, and no eligible voter should be denied his right to vote. That is the stand of TVK, and no false voter should be included,” he said.

He added that the party opposed conducting the exercise in a rushed and non-transparent manner shortly before elections.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged Congress leaders and grassroots workers to assist people affected by heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu and coordinate relief efforts with local authorities.

"My thoughts are with everyone affected by the heavy rains in Tamil Nadu. I appeal to Congress leaders and workers to reach out to families in the affected areas and help with relief. Please work closely with the local authorities, and give special attention to the elderly and the most vulnerable," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

The IMD said the low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast is likely to bring isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Kerala between October 21 and 25.

For Thursday, the weather department forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph at one or two locations.

Heavy rainfall that began on Tuesday continued overnight, with Chennai's MGR Nagar recording the highest rainfall at 15 cm. Several neighbourhoods in and around the state capital received between 10 cm and 15 cm of rain. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Chennai.

According to the IMD, districts likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall include Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai, along with Karaikal in Puducherry.

The weather department has also forecast widespread rainfall on October 23, with heavy to very heavy rain likely at isolated places in Kanniyakumari, the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts.

“Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places with thunderstorm and lightning, with gusty wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph at one or two places, is likely to occur over Kanniyakumari, the Nilgiris and Coimbatore,” the IMD bulletin stated. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)