“Full administrative cooperation was extended”: TN Health Minister on IAF’s Chennai air show

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 7 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that full administrative cooperation of the state government was extended to successfully conduct the Indian Air Force Air Adventure Program at Chennai.

This comes after the opposition slammed the DMK government of “neglecting” basic arrangements to public calling it a “complete failure of administration.” Former Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami claimed that five people lost their lives during the Air Show event due to heatstroke.

In a post on X, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister said that arrangements were made considering all the demands of the Air Force officers.

“Full administrative cooperation of the Government of Tamil Nadu was extended to successfully conduct the Indian Air Force Air Adventure Program at Chennai. In order to properly plan and conduct the event, a coordination meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary with Indian Air Force officers and Tamil Nadu government department officials once and then several times at the departmental level. In these consultative meetings, arrangements were made keeping in mind all the demands of the Air Force officers,” he added.

He further said that the state government formed two medical teams, comprising doctors and nurses for emergency response during the show.

“The Army had also sent teams for medical assistance. 40 ambulances were readied for medical assistance and emergency response at the site. Required Paramedical staffs was available. A total of 100 beds and 65 doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital were prepared for any emergency,” he added.

The TN Health Minister said that during the event around 7500 police personnel were deployed.

“On behalf of Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, adequate temporary toilets and drinking water arrangements were made. To control the crowd 7500 police were on security. Tamil Nadu government made all arrangements more than what they ask for,” he said.

AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan earlier demanded the resignation of the Health Minister over the Chennai Air Show incident and dubbed it as “complete mismanagement” of the DMK government.

“In front of my eyes, children were falling. There was no public address system that could guide the people. There were no booths giving water and there was no medical assistance. There was no traffic management. It is a complete mismanagement. Precious lives have been lost. Ma Subramanian has any one element of empathy and self-consciousness he should resign as the health minister,” he said.

BJP state president K Annamalai expressed deep shock over the incident and blamed the DMK government for the incident.

“I was shocked to hear that 5 people died due to crowding and more than 200 people were injured and admitted to the hospital for treatment during the IAF ‘AIR Show’ program held at Chennai Marina Beach. The only reason for this is that the DMK government has not taken care of the safety of the public without providing basic facilities and adequate transport arrangements for the public who came to witness the IAF Air Show,” Annamalai said in a post on X.

The Indian Air Force on Sunday organised an Air Show at Chennai’s Marina Beach ahead of the upcoming 92nd Air Force Day on October 8.