Pondicherry wants PM to visit tsunami-hit areas

The state Chief Minister said he had written to the Prime Minister requesting him to visit the tsunami-hit regions.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been requested to visit Pondicherry and Karaikal regions, which bore the brunt of tsunami on December 26, Pondicherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy said on Thursday.

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The Chief Minister said he had written to the Prime Minister requesting him to visit these regions, where extensive damage and loss of lives were reported.

After holding discussions with Union Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar and Union Minister of State for Social Justice Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, he told reporters he would meet the Prime Minister on Friday at Chennai and request him to visit the Union Territory.

Rangasamy said that he had also sought as much as Rs 512 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation works in the affected villages.

Singh had made an aerial survey of Karaikal last week.