CHENNAI: The School Education Department has initiated action to provide school-related certificates free of cost to students who have lost their belongings to either cyclone Michuang and heavy rainfall in Southern districts.

During the rainfall in early December, districts like Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur were affected due to heavy rain and wind induced by the cyclone.

Subsequently, the following week, Southern districts of Tamil Nadu like Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi were also severely affected due to unprecedented rainfall.

In a circular, the department has stated that instructions have been given to the respective district education department by the Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) to provide secondary copies of lost/damaged mark certificates for students, especially classes 10, 11 and 12, due to heavy rains in the affected districts.

"These certificates will be given free of cost for the students, "stated the circular.

"Students who have lost their classes 10, 11 and 12-mark sheets due to heavy rains are requested to fill and submit the application form to get secondary marks certificate in the school they attended. Marks certificates will be issued to the applying students regardless of grade by the school they attended, "the circular clarified.

Meanwhile, there are demands among the public for more camps to be set up to issue official government documents like ration card, Patta copy, registration certificates, aadhar card, PAN card, birth and community certificate, voter ID and driving license.