The Hindu : National : Sonia assures all help to tsunami victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2004

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National

Sonia assures all help to tsunami victims

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, listens to people affected by tsunami in Chennai on Tuesday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI, DEC. 28. The Congress president and chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, Sonia Gandhi, today promised the tsunami-affected people in Tamil Nadu that the Central Government would do all it could to help them.

Ms. Gandhi toured the badly affected areas in Chennai, Nagapattinam and Pondicherry and listened to the tale of woe of fishermen. She assured them of immediate relief measures.

After meeting the tsunami victims, most of them fishermen, at Srinivasapuram near the Foreshore Estate in Chennai, she told reporters that the people were extremely distressed as they had lost their boats, nets and the means of livelihood.

Ms. Gandhi gave a patient hearing to the victims. Many of the locals told her that they found it difficult to get over the nightmarish experience of December 26. Many of the elders said they had lost their means of livelihood, the ration card and the school certificates of their children.

"We have come to see what we can do for them to all possible extent," she said.

Ms. Gandhi was accompanied by the Union Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, the Shipping Minister, T.R. Baalu, the Communications Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, in Chennai.

In Nagapattinam, Ms. Gandhi visited the injured in the Government Headquarters hospital and displaced fishermen at the two relief centres in the town. "This is where we have to absolutely concentrate and ensure that they are rehabilitated as soon as possible, and this is what the Government will definitely do," she said.

The Government relief package aside, the Congress too, had sanctioned financial assistance and material aid, she said.

She also visited Poompuhar where some of the affected persons said they were yet to get any relief.

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