Party seniors not infected, work at Secretariat goes on

Chennai

“Senior leaders EPS, OPS, R Vaithilingam and KP Munusamy, who had attended a meeting with Minister P Thangamani (who tested positive) are safe,” said an AIADMK source. A family member of a Minister from Erode has tested positive in Chennai, added another.

While inaugurating government buildings in his native earlier in the day, Deputy Speaker Pollachi Jayaraman said the Chief Minister was braving the risk of infection to continue official work. “Risking his own life, CM EPS is continuing to inspect hospitals, inaugurate completed projects and is regularly meeting officials on COVID mitigation works,” Jayaraman said.

During the day, Palaniswami reviewed the water storage position in Kanniyakumari with district officials over phone, and ordered release from Kothaiyar dam for a month, which would help irrigate 17,000 acres of fields.

Meanwhile, Law Minister CVe Shanmugham was hospitalised again for chest decongestion. However, sources said the Minister only underwent a regular check-up and would be discharged after bed rest.

The Secretariat functioned as usual despite the surge in infection cases among officials and leaders. Chief Secretary K Shanmugam attended office and interacted with the central health team. Sources among officials said he might take quarantine leave, as he had attended a function with Minister Thangamani before he tested positive on Wednesday.

“Thermal scanning, swab tests and security check have been intensified at Secretariat and several appointments had been put on hold due to the spread of infection,” a senior official said.