Fix Coimbatore's issues relegated by DMK government: SP Velumani

CHENNAI: Former minister and Thondamuthur MLA SP Velumani on Monday urged the State government to address key development issues facing Coimbatore district, including pending infrastructure projects and the growing wild boar menace affecting farmers.

He urged the government to expedite pending development projects and take immediate steps to tackle the increasing wild boar menace, which he said was causing hardship to farmers in the district.

Velumani criticised the previous DMK government and highlighted welfare and development initiatives implemented during the previous AIADMK regimes led by MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.

He cited schemes such as Thalikku Thangam, educational assistance, rainwater harvesting, 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, free rice and Amma Unavagams as measures aimed at benefiting poor and ordinary people.

Velumani claimed that the AIADMK government had brought development to Coimbatore equivalent to 50 years of progress within five years. Around 1,600 km of roads were improved during the party's tenure, and several major projects, including flyovers, drinking water schemes, colleges, and Smart City works, were undertaken, he said.

He also listed various projects implemented in Coimbatore during the AIADMK regime and alleged that the DMK government had failed to take forward several initiatives, including the second phase of the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.