The Minister for municipal administration, SP Velumani alleged that widespread encroachments in the state had occurred during the DMK regime, which had caused the disastrous floods in Tamil Nadu and Cuddalore.

Velumani was in Coimbatore to inaugurate the 58th State Level Athletic meet for secondary and higher secondary schools. Talking to reporters in Coimbatore, he said that the encroachments that took place in the previous regimes of DMK led to the blocking of water courses, causing the extensive floods.

He also accused the DMK of spreading false and malicious rumours, projecting the current AIADMK regime as inefficient, while the truth is that the current government, under the leadership of Jayalalithaa, was taking relief measures on war footing.