Thermocol experiment idea came from offficials: Minister

Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju said the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had earlier come out with the rainwater harvesting (RWH) scheme, which was 'ridiculed' by DMK President M Karunanidhi before it won people's approval.

He said the thermacol proposal was not his, indicating it came from officials. 

"No Minister does such things unilaterally. They attend these events when invited by officials to take part in such initiatives. There is no system in any government where a minister does such things suo motu," he told reporters. 

Raju had last week in Theni launched an experiment by PWD officials to try and cut water loss due to evaporation in Vaigai dam by covering a small portion of it with thermocol sheets but the effort came a cropper with the sheets being swept away by strong winds. 

Raju has since come under flak, with citizens taking to social media and humour to express their displeasure on the matter. 

Raju, however, seemed to be unfazed by the criticism when he said that novel methods have to be worked out to face water scarcity in the state. 

He said that the RWH system, which Jayalalithaa had made mandatory during its initial launch in early 2000s, was criticised by Karunanidhi. 

"But it later won people's appreciation and is going on well now," he added. 

Commenting on the thermocol technique last week, Raju had merely said the "thermocol covering technology" was received from a "source.