One lakh concrete houses to be built for cyclone victims, announces EPS

Nagapattinam was severely affected due to the cyclone and 2.85 lakh people, including 46,063 children, were accommodated in 415 relief camps, said the Chief Minister, adding that the State has been undertaking restoration work in a war footing manner.

He further said that the damaged trees would be removed under MGNREGS scheme by employing locals and through the TNPL and the timber merchants from the state. He assured that the government will provide assistance for planting of trees like mango, coconut and cashew with upgraded technology in regions that have lost crops in the wake of the cyclone.

Stating that 1 lakh concrete houses would be built for those who have lost their houses in the wake of Gaja, EPS said that special projects would be framed to undertake restoration and a special scheme execution unit would be formed to monitor it. The unit will be headed by a senior IAS officer, he said. Also, the slush made by the intrusion of sea water would be cleared and revived lands would be handed over to the owners, he said, adding that the distribution of relief materials would be completed within five days.

Further, he said both the governments, state and central, have equal responsibility to ensure adequate restoration and relief works. “We have sought the total fund and also mentioned the initial relief fund required. We hope the Centre would be compassionate enough to release the requested fund,” he said, adding the State has allotted an initial amount of Rs 1,300 crore for relief works.

He also clarified that precautionary works made by the state government had saved several lives. “Over 82,000 persons were shifted to relief camps prior to the landfall,” he said.

Also, 3,000 bore wells were being built in Nagapattinam and the power supply would resume within four days. Also,around 27 commodities including provisions and clothes were being distributed among the victims.

Moreover, speaking in Tiruvarur, he said that 5 lakh people living in the cyclone-hit districts would be provided with work under the MGNREGA scheme as a part of restoration work.

Meanwhile, Kerala government has sanctioned an aid of Rs 10 crore for the cyclone-hit areas in Tamil Nadu.