Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani today accused the opposition parties of instigating the public to agitate against the Government, particularly on the drinking water issue.

He told the media on the sidelines of Smart City Hackathon 2017 here that the State had been witnessing an acute water shortage, both for drinking and irrigation, for the first time in the last 150 years.

Some Opposition parties were trying to capitalise on this and instigating people to agitate against the Government, he said.

The minister’s response came after over 500 women squatted on the road, preventing traffic movement in Thondamuthur, his constituency, yesterday.

“The DMK is instigating the people to agitate, as the constituency belonged to a minister. I have initiated various schemes for the development of the area and the people should understand and decide accordingly as per their conscience,” he said.

Efforts were taken to meet the drinking water needs in all the wards in the city and the administration was sending water tankers, he said.

Velumani said he had urged the Chief Minister to introduce mono or metro rail for the city. He refused to comment on the upcoming by-election in RK Nagar.