Airdrop electric poles in cyclone-hit areas: TN min

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu forest minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan known for his gaffes was at it again. This time for urging the Centre to help the state with flights and choppers to airdrop electric poles in areas devastated by cyclone Gaja.

“Our electricity board workers are struggling to replace the damaged poles. It is very hard to bring electric poles to the farmland. Therefore, the union government should intervene and provide flights and choppers to place new poles,” Sreenivaasan said on Tuesday. He was addressing a meeting at cyclone wrecked Nagapattinam. The Gaja cyclone is estimated to have uprooted more than 15,000 electric poles across seven coastal districts and the government says it may take several weeks to have all of them back in action.

Interestingly, the minister appeared unperturbed and even challenged his cabinet colleague and handlooms minister OS Manian, who was also on the dais, when he tried to correct the howler saying that it was not possible to airdrop electric poles as it would damage agricultural fields. “How is it then that foreign countries are building bridges across the sea?” asked Sreenivasan.

“Foreign countries are even making parks under the sea. So, it is possible to airdrop electric poles,” he argued.

A few months ago, Sreenivaasan, addressing a public meeting had said Narashima Rao is the prime minister.

Also, last month, he had claimed that Jayalalithaa had died since she was given slow poison and fed with food items which she should not take given her health condition.

Unmindful of his remarks turning him into a laughing stock or landing in trouble, Sreenivasan continues to proffer suggestions that are not practical and continue to make ‘revelations’ about the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.