The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Wednesday called for declaration of entire Tamil Nadu as disaster-prone zone, in view of repeated natural disasters striking the State in the recent past.
At its high-level committee meeting chaired by the party presidium chairman ‘Tiruppur’ S. Duraisamy, MDMK general secretary Vaiko urged the government to write off electricity charges and land tax in the cyclone Gaja-affected districts. The Centre must immediately sanction relief funds sought by the State government for restoration of normalcy.
Compensation of ₹50,000 for a coconut tree, ₹30,000 per acre of paddy, ₹50,000 per acre of sugarcane crop, and ₹3 lakh per acre of banana crop must be fixed. Likewise, ₹30,000 per acre must be fixed as compensation for maize, pulses, cotton, and drumstick crops, speakers emphasised. Later talking to mediapersons, Mr. Vaiko said people will naturally get agitated in the absence of drinking water and food. The Minsters have to exercise restraint. The onus was on all to play a constructive role in such a situation. Even in developed countries, not less than 10 days are taken for restoring normalcy. Workers of electricity department were carrying out relief works risking their lives. The State government has acted fast, Mr. Vaiko said.
Slams PM
Condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the flood-affected areas, Mr. Vaiko said the Centre had in the past had sanctioned only four per cent of the relief sought after natural calamities. At least this time, the funds must be sanctioned in full, he emphasised.
