A three-member inter-ministerial Central team on Monday visited rain-affected areas in Kanniyakumari district where paddy crop has been damaged, river bunds have been breached and houses inundated.
The delegation, comprising R.B. Kaul, consultant, Ministry of Finance; R. Thangamani, Director, Ministry of Water Resources; Bhavya Pandey, Assistant Director, Ministry of Power; Nodal Officer Kumar Jayanth, Principal Secretary of Revenue Department and Liaison Officer S. Venkatesh arrived here from Thoothukudi.
Collector M. Arvind and senior officials presented an overview of the damage caused by the rains. Later, the team members inspected the rain-affected areas and interacted with the public, including farmers.
AIADMK MLA Thalavai Sundaram, in a memorandum submitted to the Central team, sought ₹ 80 crore as relief for the district. Speaking to reporters, he said that the calamity was so severe that the government had to compensate for lives lost during the rains. Many people’s dwellings which were in low-lying areas were totally inundated. Apart from damage to the houses, essential items and certificates and documents like Aadhaar card and ration card had been washed away.
The revenue officials said that they have submitted a list of roads damaged in the district and the estimated cost to relay them.
Similarly, the PWD officials said that the river bund breach, canal bund breach at Anaicut, North Thamaraikulam and other locations were inspected by the team members.
The central team, after inspection, proceeded to Thoothukudi from where they are expected to proceed to Chennai on Tuesday morning.
