Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited cyclone Ockhi-hit Lakshadweep, Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram to review relief operations.
The cyclone left a trail of destruction late last month and early this month.
Mr. Modi met officials and public representatives as well as the cyclone victims, including fishermen and farmers’ delegations.
Mr. Modi first arrived in Lakshadweep on a special military aircraft from Mangaluru on Tuesday morning after a stay in the Karnataka city on December 18 night.
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Addressing a gathering of fishermen families who had lost their kin due to Cyclone Ockhi, in coastal hamlet Poonthura, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Modi said the Central government is with the fishers who have suffered loss of lives and property due to the cyclone.
"This is a moment of pain and sorrow. This is not the time to lecture about the tragedy. I am here to join you in your pain," he said. He consoled the fishermen and women who got an opportunity to speak to him at the community hall.
The Prime Minister said the Union government would strive to ensure that the missing fishers reached home before Christmas.
Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of State for Tourim Alphonse Kannanthanam, State Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan and Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan, among others, accompanied Mr. Modi.
Reports C. Gouridasan Nair fromThiruvananthapuram
In Kanyakumari, Mr. Modi held a meeting with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, during which Tamil Nadu sought a Rs 9,300 crore package, including Rs 4,047 crore for the districts hit by the Northeast Monsoon.
Mr. Modi also met families of fishermen and representatives of the farmers’ community, who were badly affected by the cyclone, which hit the State shores on November 29-30.
As many as 25 fishermen representatives from eight coastal villages of Kanyakumari district, including Thoothoor, Neerodi, Marthandam Thurai, Poothurai, Chinnathurai and Raviputhanthurai took part in the discussions at the government guest house.
Mr. Modi also met Catholic priests. They were also present during his over 90 minute-long meeting with Mr. Palaniswamy, his deputy O. Panneerselvam, among others.
Reports PTI
Arrives in Thiruvananthapuram
Mr. Modi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday noon on a five-hour visit to assess the loss of lives and property caused by Cyclone Ockhi.
Mr. Mod arrived by the Air Force plane at the airport around 1.30 p.m. He was received by the Kerala Governor, the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Union Minister of State for Tourism, MPs Suresh Gopi and Richard Hay, Chief Secretary K.M. Abraham, State Police Chief and DGP Loknath Behra, Mayor V.K. Prasanth and other top military, civil and police officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives by a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, in Kerala on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister is accompanied by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Pon. Radhakrishnan and other officials.
Mr. Modi left in a helicopter from the technical base of the IAF at Sanghumughom by 1.45 p.m. to adjoining Kanyakumari . He will lreturn to Thiruvananthapuram from Kanyakumari by 4.30 p.m. and visit Poonthura.
On his arrival back, he will also hold discussions with Mr. Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues on the rehabilitation and relief measures at the Government Guest House in Thycaud. He will also meet representatives of church, State BJP leaders before flying back to Delhi by 6.40 p.m.
- Reports Anil Radhakrishnan from Thiruvananthapuram
Chairs meeting in Kavaratti
Earlier in the day, Mr. Modi chaired a high-level meeting at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep to review the cyclone relief operations.
Mr. Mod was received by top officials of the Lakshadweep administration and public representatives, including Lakshadweep MP Muhammed Faizal.
“PM @narendramodi reviewed the situation arising due to #CycloneOckhi at a high-level meeting in Lakshadweep,” a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
Another tweet said youngsters of Lakshadweep extended a warm welcome to the Prime Minister.
Funds released
The Prime Minister has been constantly monitoring the situation arising out of the natural calamity in the southern parts of the country.
A PMO statement on December 18 said the Centre released the second instalment from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for Kerala and Tamil Nadu to supplement the efforts of these States in dealing with the situation.
“During financial year 2017-18, the amounts of the central share of the SDRF to the governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu were ₹ 153 crore and ₹ 561 crore respectively,” it said.
Arrives from Mangaluru
In Mangaluru, people gathered in good numbers at the airport to receive Mr. Modi on Monday night.
Just after arrival, as he moved out of the airport in a motorcade, the Prime Minister asked his vehicle driver to stop it, got out and waved at the people, who stood along the barricade.
There was some commotion as people tried to climb the barricades to have a closer look at him. Policemen, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Uma Prashant, managed to hold the barricades to prevent any untoward incident.
The Prime Minister was taken to the heavily guarded circuit house where he spent the night.
Mr. Modi was received by Mr. Pon. Radhakrishnan, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Sentil S. and Director General and Inspector General of Police Neelamani S. Raju.
- Reports M. Raghava from Mangaluru
(Inputs from news agencies)
