2 weeks Ago By Express News Service
VIRUDHUNAGAR: Chief Minister MK Stalin advised officials to strengthen the safety infrastructure at all cracker units in the district and maintain a green environment, after inspecting a cracker unit in Kanniseripudhur village on day one of his two-day visit to Virudhunagar, on Saturday. During his visit to Madhan Fireworks, Stalin inspected the chemical storage room, storage room and cracker manufacturing rooms. He also reviewed the cracker unit's explosives licence.
Among the 80 workers in the unit, 36 are women. When Stalin asked the employees about their wages and the safety measures, they said they had no qualms and the factory did not encounter any untoward incidents in the past. The workers requested the government to take care of their children's education and ensure a secure future for the kids in case of any untoward incidents such as cracker blasts.
Stalin then directed the unit's owner to arrange insurance for all the employees in the unit. When he inquired if women are receiving the monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 under the Magalir Urimai Thittam, some replied in the negative, following which Stalin told them to submit petitions regarding the issue and assured prompt action. Later in the evening, Stalin visited the government children's home in Soolakarai, interacted with the students and distributed snacks.
He also held a roadshow for nearly 3 km from Virudhunagar's new bus stand to a private marriage hall near Aruppukottai Road. Thousands of people gathered on the roadside, raising slogans hailing Stalin and praising the DMK. Police deployment and security were tightened in the area.
Stalin will inaugurate the new collectorate, built at a cost of Rs 77.12 crore in Virudhunagar, and distribute various welfare assistance on Sunday. In Madurai, residents from Mullai Nagar in Madurai city were stopped by the police when they started from their locality to meet Stalin at Madurai Airport in the morning, seeking his intervention to stop the demolition of their houses.
The public works department had issued notices stating that the houses were constructed by encroaching upon the waterbody. The residents claimed they had been residing in the locality for more than 60 years. However, the police prevented them due to a lack of appointment.
Following the inspection at the cracker unit in Virudhunagar, the chief minister also met K Manikandan, a 33-year-old disabled Srivilliputhur resident, who was waiting outside the unit to submit a petition seeking a government job. Manikandan, a B.Sc and B.
Ed graduate, had cleared the Tamil Nadu Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in 2014, the Block Education Officer exam in 2020 and 2023, the Senior Bailiff exam in 2022, and the Group 4 exam in 2022 and 2024. However, he could not land a government job. Citing the lack of wheelchair ramps and other facilities for disabled staff at private schools, he was denied jobs.
The chief minister received his petition and assured Manikandan he would do the needful..
