Though relief operations undertaken by various agencies in the cyclone-hit areas made considerable progress in clearing trees and debris on several roads, there has been little progress in supplying drinking water.
According to sources, more than 15,000 workers drafted for relief works have been working overtime since Friday morning. While majority of them were tasked with restoration of power supply, about 3,000 workers were given the task of clearing trees and debris on major and interior roads in Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts.
Major roads including Vedaranyam-Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam-Kodiakarai, Vedaranyam-Thiruthuraipoondi, which were blocked by uprooted trees and debris, have so far been cleared. It is said that the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force, joined by the conservancy workers of various municipalities and corporations, have made progress in clearing the trees on various village roads.
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Similarly, the works on reinstalling electric posts are also said to have made little progress.
But, water supply to Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Vedaranyam, Pattukottai, Adhirampattinam, Pudukottai and hundreds of villages continued to be hit for the third consecutive day on Sunday.
In the absence of power supply, the officials are grappling to provide drinking water to the affected people. Complaints of acute scarcity of drinking water continue to pour in from different parts of Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts. Angry protesters hit the roads in different parts of Nagapattinam and Pudukottai districts, demanding water supply. Besides drinking water, the people have been struggling to get water for other usages. The attempts made by officials to pump out water using generators were said to have offered a little help in solving the crisis.
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While stating that the situation was grim and challenging, a senior official of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) told The Hindu that the entire power network had been dismantled due to the cyclonic storm.
Strenuous efforts were being taken to restore the supply.
Meanwhile, holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Nagapattinam Revenue Division on Monday.
As far as Mayiladurai Revenue Division was concerned Collector S. Suresh Kumar said the headmasters of respective schools could declare holiday depending upon the ground situation on the impact of Gaja cyclone.
In Thanjavur district, holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Orathanadu and Pattukottai educational districts. All schools and colleges will remain closed in Pudukottai and Thiruvarur districts on Monday.
In Tiruchi district, several villages around Manapparai went without power supply for the third consecutive day on Sunday.
Works are on full swing to reinstall electric poles. It is said that the power will be restored on Monday.