Govt will give all possible help: PM

Manmohan is on a tour of the tsunami-affected areas in southern India.

Visiting the tsunami-affected areas of southern India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the Centre was committed to providing all possible assistance to the victims.

HT Image

"The Centre will do everything that is humanly possible for people to restart their lives," Singh said at a relief camp in Colachal.

"The Government was committed to provide all help to those, who had lost everything in the disaster," he said. "We will take effective care, especially of the orphaned children and widows, to enable them to lead their lives."

A visibly moved Prime Minister interacted with state government officials and listened to tales of people, who faced the wrath of tsunami that came at a height of 10 metres, almost wiping out the village.

Accompanied by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan, the Prime Minister said though the Government could not compensate for the loss of lives, it will provide houses, boats and nets to the population, which mainly comprises of the fishing community.

The village with a population of 20,000 reported a toll of 485 with another 1,000 missing.

He also visited Maramadi, another area hit by the tsunami disaster.

Steel utensils, plastic chairs and other household articles are strewn around the vast area, as the water forced people to take shelter in nearby churches and temples.

Many people narrated their tales to the Prime Minister saying there was no protection from the sea water and demanded a harbour.

The Prime Minister will also be visiting Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh during his two-day visit to the affected areas.