TN underscores ‘critical need for funds’

MADURAI: Stressing the criticality of receiving central funds to manage the relief and rehabilitation efforts at eight districts that were hit hard by the recent floods, the State government handed over a 72-page comprehensive memorandum to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in Thoothukudi on Tuesday.

Accompanied by Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Minister of State L Murugan, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi and senior officials, the Union minister reviewed the impact of the unprecedented flood earlier in the day. The visit came at a time when a debate is raging between the State and Union governments over the non-allocation of central funds to manage the relief and rehabilitation works.

Thennarasu, Kanimozhi and senior officials briefed Nirmala about the current situation and the relief works carried out by the State government, said Chief Minister MK Stalin. “They handed over a comprehensive 72-page memorandum underscoring the critical need for funds in response, relief, and restoration efforts,” Stalin said in a social media post.

“With only limited funds available under State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF), the damage far exceeds the current resources. Tamil Nadu earnestly seeks substantial assistance from the Union government to confront these unprecedented challenges,” Stalin said, noting how the torrential rainfall in the southern districts added to the woes after Cyclone Michaung.

The State government has so far sought more than Rs 21,000 crore from the Centre for repair, restoration and rehabilitation works in Chennai and four adjoining districts, besides southern districts, the worst-hit among which was Thoothukudi.

Earlier in the day, Minister Nirmala inspected the large-scale damage caused by the flood in the wake of unusually heavy rains in Thoothukudi on December 17 and 18. She was deputed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inspect the damage in the southern district.

She witnessed firsthand the extensive damage to hundreds of houses, large swathes of farmland, and crucial infrastructure like roads, bridges, rail tracks, etc. in the district. The State government delegation, including Minister Thennarasu, Kanimozhi and senior officials, also briefed her about the loss of human lives and livestock.

Union Minister Nirmala tours Thoothukudi, reviews flood damage

In Thoothukudi to inspect the situation in the aftermath of the disastrous floods last week, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took a tour of the worst-affects parts of the district and held a review meeting with state government representatives.

Along with Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Thangam Thennarasu, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan and senior officials, Nirmala went to Kurinji Nagar, one of the inundated residential localities in the district, where she interacted with the residents and a few doctors in a health camp at the locality.

She also took stock of the damage to Korampallam tank. The tail-end irrigation tank of Tamirabarani river breached after the torrential rains, which added to the flood woes. The officials who went with her explained how flash floods caused the breach, while some of the local public said the authorities failed to desilt the tank.

The Union Finance Minister also inspected the bridge at Anthoniyarpuram in Maravanmadam panchayat, which was destroyed by the flood.

The officials also explained that the other factor for the uncontrollable flood was rainwater from Ottapidaram, Kayathar and Kadambur flowing down to a single channel.

She also inspected the government hospital in Srivaikuntam, the worst-hit place in the district that received nearly 100 cm rain in just a day.

Earlier, she convened a meeting with officials in Thoothukudi and reviewed the progress in restoration activities. Besides Minister Thennarasu and MP Kanimozhi, BJP’s state vice president Nainar Nagendran, senior leader Pon Radhakrishnan and Tangedco CMD Rajesh Lakhani accompanied her.