Team ‘assesses’ damage in Dindigul via records

While briefing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the Secretariat, Richard said, “Cyclone Gaja destroyed everything that came across its path and there was severe damage to trees like coconut, banana and mango. Houses, including kutcha, pucca houses and even concrete structures were blown away.”

After Gaja wreaked havoc in 12 districts of Tamil Nadu and inflicted heavy damage upon lives and properties, Palaniswami had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked for a Rs 16,300 crore to carry out relief works. He had also requested Modi to send a Central team to assess the cyclone-hit areas.

The Centre had promptly responded to that request and sent a team to Chennai, on last Friday. They had held a meeting with Palaniswami, on Saturday, before proceeding to the affected districts. After carrying out assessment work for three days, the team returned on Monday and met Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, other senior ministers and top bureaucrats and gave them a detailed account of the damage caused by the cyclone and their inspection.

After meeting Palaniswami, the team addressed the media in which Richard said that apart from the cyclone-affected delta districts, they had also inspected Dindigul district with the help of records produced by government officials.

He added that maximum damage was inflicted upon coastal areas. “The sea brought out the sludge and the livelihood of fishermen was greatly affected. In many coastal hamlets, boats were completely destroyed,” Richard said.

According to Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami, the total relief donated by the public for cyclone Gaja, as on Tuesday was Rs 33.66 crore and particularly, on Tuesday the donation was Rs 10.68 crore. Single largest contribution of Rs 5 crore came from Martin Charitable Trust, run by the family members of Santiago Martin, the lottery kingpin, on Tuesday.