As the requirement of funds for flood relief operations and restoration of infrastructure was “well beyond the resources available with the State,” Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged the Central team to submit its flood damage assessment report expeditiously so that the financial assistance could be released without any delay.
The eight-member inter-ministerial team of the Union government headed by Home Ministry joint secretary T.V.S.N. Prasad met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat on Thursday.
The Chief Minister told the team that four coastal districts – Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur, suffered large-scale destruction in the heavy rains “despite all precautionary measures” taken by the State-level agencies and District Collectors on her instructions, according to an official release. Though she had sanctioned Rs.500 crore for the relief operations, “the trail of damage and destruction caused by the extremely heavy rainfall indicates a requirement of much higher expenditure,” she told them and pointed out that the extent of damage was still unfolding with many weeks left in the north-east monsoon.
Pointing out that the precautionary measures taken by the State had “minimised” loss of life and property, she said more than four lakh people were shifted to relief camps and provided food and shelter.
Ms. Jayalalithaa thanked the Prime Minister for sending the Central team immediately on her request. The State had received rainfall of 483.6 mm while it receives 440.40 mm during the entire northeast monsoon lasting till December.
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