Central team inspects flood hit Kumari, to submit detailed report to TN govt

The team comprised officials, including Bhavya Pandey, Assistant Director, Ministry of Power, CEA Sewa Bhavan, New Delhi, Thangamani, Director, Ministry of Water Resources, CWC, Chennai and RB Kaul, Consultant, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure (FCD). The team initially inspected Pillaipethan anaicut at North Thamaraikulam, where river bund breached. Subsequently, the team made on the spot assessments at Kumaracoil, where canal bund suffered breach and a road was cut off due to floods and at Peyankuzhi, where similar damage occurred, sources said.

S Venkatesh, Liaison Officer, who accompanied the team, while talking to reporters at Kumaracoil, said inspections were made at several affected areas and the team received memoranda from victims. After ascertaining the extent of damage caused by floods, the team would consolidate a final report and submit it to the government. When asked whether all damages caused by floods were ascertained, Kanniyakumari Collector M Arvind, who also accompanied the inspection team, said paddy fields suffered damage to an extent of 75 hectares, but full assessment of crop damage is yet to be over. Further, the Collector said water needs to be drained in some paddy fields. As for banana plantains, damage was recorded on nearly 45 hectares. Apart from damage caused to infrastructure, roads were also damaged. ‘It requires Rs 100 crore for temporary restoration and the district administration has also sought Rs 250 crore to execute permanent restoration works in the district’" Arvind said. Further, he said to increase capacity in the Pothigai dam and Thovalai channel, a team would study its conditions and proposals would be made for such developments. He then added that bus and rail routes were clear to traffic. Earlier, the team glanced at photo exhibits that highlighted various damages caused by the flood.

Vijay Vasanth, Kanniyakumari MP, met the team and submitted a memorandum seeking funds to the tune of Rs 260 crore as immediate relief from the Centre to execute restoration works and also urged the need for devising suitable strategies to tackle any further flood during monsoon seasons in the district, sources said.