— Photo: K. Ganesan

CENTRAL VIEW: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil surveys the flood damage in Tamil Nadu from an IAF helicopter on Sunday. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram is seen behind.

MADURAI: Villages, paddy fields and roads, all submerged. These were the predominant scenes that a team of Union Ministers saw when it undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected districts in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and two of his Cabinet colleagues, who took off in a special Indian Air Force helicopter from Madurai on Sunday morning, could see only sheets of water everywhere. Two days after torrential rains lashed many districts, the situation remained grim with scores of residential localities, mostly villages, still surrounded by water.

"It is very unfortunate that the flood has affected many areas badly. Our priority is to provide immediate relief and temporary shelter. Rehabilitation and reconstruction activities will follow. A Central committee of experts will assess the damage correctly and submit a report," Mr. Patil said.

Accompanied by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs S. Raghupathy, Mr. Patil flew over Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Tiruchi districts. The Secretary, Disaster Management, D.K. Sankaran, and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president G.K. Vasan were present.

"There will be no holding back on relief. Whatever has to be done will be done. An announcement on the interim relief will be made in consultation with the Prime Minister in a day or two," Mr. Chidambaram said.

Mr. Patil told newspersons here that the Disaster Management Bill was likely to be passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Speaking to newspersons in Tiruchi, Mr. Patil said more Army teams would be sent to the State for rescue operations. Acknowledging that the damage was "enormous," Mr. Patil said the Centre would do everything possible to help Tamil Nadu.

New Delhi Special Correspondent reports:

A BJP team led by party vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu will visit the affected areas in Tamil Nadu.

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