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Centre declares aid, states look to pickup pieces after cyclone Michaung
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected northern Tamil Nadu, including capital Chennai.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected northern Tamil Nadu, including capital Chennai, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to release ₹450 crore in the second instalment to the southern state for cyclone relief.
Singh said the first instalment of ₹450 crore for cyclone relief was released to the state earlier in the day. “Prime Minister Modi is distressed by loss of lives in Tamil Nadu due to rains, flood,” he added.
Singh undertook an aerial survey of flood-hit northern Tamil Nadu and held discussions with chief minister MK Stalin at the Secretariat in Chennai over the extent of damage due to the cyclone Michaung. The chief minister also submitted a memorandum to Singh seeking interim relief of ₹5,060 crore.
“I have been directed by PM Modi to monitor the situation; the prime minister has spoken to chief minister MK Stalin,” he said.
Singh, who was accompanied by Union minister of state L Murugan, praised the central agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), in the relief and rescue efforts in Tamil Nadu.
Union home minister Amit Shah said that the prime minister has also approved the first urban flood mitigation project of ₹561.29 crore for “Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project” under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which also includes central assistance of ₹500 crore.
“To help the state governments with the management of relief necessitated by the cyclonic storm, PM @narendramodi Ji directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to release in advance the central share of the 2nd instalment of SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) of ₹493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and ₹450 crore to Tamil Nadu,” Shah posted on X, formerly twitter.
The north Tamil Nadu districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengelpet and Tiruvallur were worst hit by torrential rains on December 4 brought by cyclone Michuang, which crossed the coast in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.
Though rains have stopped, several areas in Chennai suburbs and adjoining districts remained waterlogged on Thursday, with state officials saying they have rescued close to 700 people so far from the affected districts. The rescued people have been kept in camps inside government buildings.
At least 20 people have been killed in Tamil Nadu in the torrential rains- and flood-related incidents, officials said.
The state government said relief activities have been expedited and that efforts to pump out stagnant water were on in different places in the city. Velachery and parts of west Tambaram suffered from waterlogging today as well, even as food packets were air-dropped in the Pallikkaranai area in the Capital city, state officials said.
Manali in north Chennai was among the severely affected areas. Officials said drinking water, 12,000 litres of milk, milk powder, bedsheets and food for about 15,000 people in Manali have been dispatched. Residents, meanwhile, complained of inflated milk prices in many localities.
Stalin distributed food to the affected people during his visit to Anakaputhur locality near Chennai. He also reviewed the relief work underway.
On Thursday, opposition parties hit out at the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over the pace of relief work.
AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami alleged that of the 35,000 key interior roads under the city corporation, 20,000 were still inundated. In a statement, he questioned the government’s assertion of implementing a ₹4,000-crore stormwater drain project in the city and demanded that Stalin release a white paper on the matter.
(With PTI inputs)
