Will submit report on cyclone damage at the earliest: Central team

The team, led by Joint Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs Praveen Vashista, held discussions with Chief Minister O Panneerselvam before commencing their two-day visit to different parts of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur.

During the meeting, Panneerselvam said he had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking about Rs 23,000 crore towards relief and rehabilitation post Vardah.

He also requested the Central team to make an in-depth assessment of the damage caused by the cyclone and to submit its report to the Ministry of Home Affairs immediately.

"The team leader Praveen Vashista assured the Chief Minister that the team will make an in-depth assessment of the damages and submit its report at the earliest," a state government release said.

During its visit of affected areas commencing today, the team will study the damage caused to agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure among others, the release said.

It is slated to hold discussions with Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan tomorrow, before wrapping up the visit.

Cyclone Vardah had crossed the coast near here on December 12, causing massive damage to the coastal districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur, besides making some impact in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Dharmapuri and Vellore.

Panneerselvam had met Modi last week and sought a relief package of Rs 22,573 crore, besides urging the Prime Minister to immediately depute a central team to assess the damage. Panneerselvam was quoted as telling the team that it was a "destructive" cyclonic storm where wind speeds clocked up to 140 kmph and that based on the IMD alerts on December 11, the government machinery was activated and precautionary measures taken to minimise loss of lives.

Due to high wind speeds, infrastructure, in particular, power sector was badly affected. More than 1.50 lakh well-grown trees were uprooted, the release quoted him as saying.

He told the team that rescue and restoration work was taken up on "war footing" by the state government which also deputed teams of ministers and senior IAS officers to the affected districts to supervise the operations.

Massive operations were launched for resuming power supply and clearing road blocks and Police, Fire service and NDRF teams were extensively used.

Equipment, including power saws, earth removers and tipper lorries were mobilised from all over Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. The state government had released Rs 500 crore for immediate relief and restoration work, he said.

Praveen Vashista was quoted as saying that "even from Delhi, they were able to gauge the intensity of the cyclone based on media reports."

"The team leader stated that the team could see the speedy restoration works done by the state government even as they arrived at the airport and on their way to the Secretariat. Vashista commended the quick restoration work undertaken by the state government," the release said.