The Hindu : National : PM postpones visit to tsunami-hit areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

National

National

PM postpones visit to tsunami-hit areas

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 27. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has postponed his proposed two-day trip to Tamil Nadu and other tsunami-hit areas. Wanting to acquaint himself with the enormity of the tragedy that struck parts of southern India, Dr. Singh was to leave tomorrow morning. No new date has been fixed till late tonight.

Three immediate reasons are being cited by the officials for the postponement of the trip. First, Dr. Singh wants to hear first hand from the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, who would be returning tomorrow afternoon after a visit to Car Nicobar.

The Prime Minister is reported to be keen on making an assessment of the next steps after hearing the Defence Minister's report. Second, there are reports of some damage to the Kalpakkam nuclear reactor.

There is considerable anxiety to make a precise assessment of the nature and extent of the damage to the nuclear reactor complex. The Prime Minister, again, according to officials, wants to be fully briefed about the situation at Kalpakkam.

Third, it was felt that already there were too many Central Ministers in the tsunami-affected regions, making demands in terms of resources and attention which otherwise should be getting diverted towards relief and rescue efforts. Therefore, Dr. Singh was reported to be anxious not to add to the woes of local administrations.

Group constituted

The thinking is that the Prime Minister should wait two or three days before visiting the areas.

Dr. Singh has appointed a Group of Ministers to oversee the relief and rehabilitation efforts. The GoM would be headed by the Defence Minister and includes P. Chidambram, Finance Minister; Shivraj Patil, Home Minister; Sharad Pawar, Agriculture Minister; Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Rural Development Minister; R. Anbumani, Health Minister; Dayanidhi Maran, Minister for Communication; and Meira Kumar, Minister for Social Welfare.

The terms of reference for the GoM include coordinating relief and rescue, overseeing construction, monitoring and providing effective relief and rehabilitation in Car Nicobar, and, overseeing aid and assistance to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

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