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CHENNAI: Perturbed by the slackness in relief and rehabilitation works in tsunami-affected districts in the State, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has directed officials to complete them as early as possible.

Announcing a slew of welfare measures for the affected people, the Chief Minister has fixed a time frame for completing the relief works.

Addressing pressmen after reviewing the progress of tsunami-relief works at a high-level meeting of officials and Collectors of the affected districts here on Saturday, Mr. Karunanidhi said though the Centre and other funding agencies, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, sanctioned Rs 4,897.07 crore for tsunami rehabilitation, only Rs 806.32 crore was spent in the last one and a half years.

To provide quick relief to the affected people, the Government decided to complete relief works costing Rs 1,000 crore in the next nine months. He claimed that this was the first time that a ministerial-level meeting was held to review relief works.

Asserting that provision of houses to the affected people would be the foremost task of the Government, the Chief Minister said 70,000 new houses would be constructed. This was in addition to 36,000 houses, which were in various stages of construction and 8,000 houses, which were being repaired.

In the first phase, houses would be constructed for those who were now within 200-metre coastal regulation zone (CRZ).

About 20,000 houses would be constructed away from the CRZ in consultation with the affected people.

In the second phase 50,000 new houses were planned for poor people, living at a distance of 200 metres to one km from the sea and were susceptible to natural calamities. People living in these areas would be informed about the impending danger before they are shifted to safe places.

Order issued

Officials were directed to complete the 70,000 houses before April 2008. If construction of houses required exemption from the CRZ it would be taken up with the Centre.

To avoid further delay, the Town and Country Planning Department was directed to sanction permission within 15 days, exempting the works from procedural rules. A government order in this connection was issued.

To help students in tsunami-hit areas to pursue their studies, the Government decided to extend fee concession for the current academic year as well for the next year.

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