Release Rs 1,000 cr for flood-hit: Stalin

In a letter to the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said that the government should immediately construct new houses to the people who lost their homes in the landslides. “During the first phase, the government should immediately release Rs 1,000 crore for Nilgiris’ district administration for carrying out rehabilitation works for the affected people,” he added.

Asserting that the State government should declare The Nilgiris as affected by natural calamity, the DMK leader said that the AIADMK regime should undertake war footing measures to bring the rain-affected people to normal life.

Stalin said that State should offer government jobs to one of the families of the deceased since the announcement of financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to them is not enough. “Similarly, allocating Rs 199 crore for immediate flood rehabilitation for the whole district is not enough,” he added.

“In addition, the government should constitute an expert committee to undertake effective steps in Nilgiris so that landslides and floods should not reoccur in future,” he said adding that the government should also form an all-party team to provide all the aids to the affected people.

He also said that affected people in Nilgiris and its surroundings, who are staying in the relief camps and shelters, should not be sent home immediately since most of their houses have been destroyed completely. “The government should not only construct new houses but also ensure that it should not be damaged in the next rainy season,” he said.

Pointing out that several kilometers of roads were also damaged due to heavy rains in the hilly station, Stalin said that the authorities should ensure relaying of all roads in an effective manner.