Chennai, November 27
Even while a team of Union ministers conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Tamil Nadu and assured funds for relief and rescue operations, the situation continues to be grim as more than one lakh villages are still submerged.
However, there was a ray of hope for the suffering people of Tamil Nadu today as the Union ministers after their aerial survey assured immediate disbursement of funds for relief and rescue operations.
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the Centre would “stand by the state in its hour of crisis”.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has sought Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre for immediate relief and restoration work in the wake of the unprecedented floods, which damaged 20,000 km of roads and 3,000 irrigation tanks across the state.
Asked about this financial help, Mr Patil told reporters in Tiruchi, “funds are no constraint, we will effectively stand by the state government in this hour of crisis. It is a big national tragedy.”
Mr Chidambaram said he would personally take up the demand with the Prime Minister. Some funds would be sent immediately but the amount would be decided by the Prime Minister, he added.
As demanded by Ms Jayalalithaa, Mr Patil said a second central team would visit Tamil Nadu within a day or two to assess the damage of infrastructure and crops and funds would be sent on the basis of its report.
The Home Minister said the government would also introduce a disaster management Bill within two days in Parliament.
He said the Bill would help in framing policies that would result in coordinated activities in taking up disaster management measures.
Mr Patil assured that the plans for disaster management would be kept ready and measures taken in such a way that hardships were lessened and losses mitigated.
Ms Jayalalithaa too went on an
aerial survey for the second day today and met people in Tiruchy and distributed relief materials. She said the state government had exhausted its contingency funds following last December’s tsunami in conducting relief, rescue and rehabilitation of the victims and was now expecting the Centre for financial help.
She said, “It is the bounden duty of the Central Government to take care of the requirements of the entire country. We have no financial resources now.”
She said proper assessment of the damage to infrastructure could not be done as roads and bridges had been totally destroyed and flood water was yet to recede.
Ms Jayalalithaa said, “The extent of damage caused by the rains and floods cannot be assessed as large areas are still submerged. I have already asked for an advance relief of Rs 3,000 crore. I will request another central team to come and assess the loss in Tamil Nadu.”
“We have to wait till the flood water recedes,” she added.
Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M. Karunanidhi also visited some flood-affected areas in Cuddalore district, one of the worst-hit due to the recent rains and floods.
As downpour stopped since yesterday relief work is in full swing in all flood-affected districts. However, relief workers experienced difficulty in reaching out to marooned people as one lakh villages are still under water. Food packets were dropped from helicopters in such areas.
According to the Revenue Department, 247 persons have died so far in Tamil Nadu since the northeast monsoon hit the state on October 1.
