Jayakumar slams Opposition for politicising disaster relief works

“After handling the 2004 tsunami relief works, Tamil Nadu emerged as a model State in handling disaster and at times of disaster, the opposition should stay united with the government,” State Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said on Saturday. Jayakumar was responding to the statement of Opposition leader MK Stalin, who has demanded an immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore for the flood-hit Nilgiris.

The state has started evaluating the damages caused to houses, roads and infrastructure. Under the first phase, the state has earmarked Rs 200 crore and based on the additional requirement, it will sanction more funds to restore the rain-battered district.

DMK president MK Stalin has written to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, urging him to announce financial aid of Rs 1,000 crore for the district, pointing out that more than 10,000 people lost their houses. The DMK leader said that the State government’s estimate of Rs 199 crore for rehabilitation work in the hilly district was meagre.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Stalin, who had toured Nilgiris, had already exchanged words crying foul against each other. The CM had also criticised the DMK leader for trying to gain political mileage by posing for cameras at the landslide-hit Nilgiris.

The DMK had also demanded an all-party meeting to discuss the issue and ensure speedy release of materials for the victims. AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran had also blamed the government for not doing enough to the rain-hit pockets of the Nilgiris.

Meanwhile, the State disaster management authorities are worried about the fresh spells of rains in Ooty and opined that major relief works could suffer a setback.

However, a State official monitoring the relief works in Nilgiris told DT Next, “Relief materials to the evacuation centres, restoration of power and temporary repair of roads have been completed and the number of tourists to Ooty has picked up.”