The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Speed up pace, says Paswan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Speed up pace, says Paswan

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 29. Relief work in the tsunami-affected districts in Tamil Nadu should be carried out with much more vigour, as the magnitude of the disaster was enormous, said the Union Minister for Chemicals, Fertilizers and Steels, Ram Vilas Paswan, here today.

Talking to newsmen after touring tsunami-hit areas in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Mr. Paswan said he did not find fault with the on-going relief work. But the pace had to be speeded up, he said. Local people said the District Collectors were wanting in rising up to the occasion , as they had not faced a similar crisis in the past. They wanted some senior-level officers to be posted in the affected areas to monitor the relief work, so that the needy were given immediate support. Mr. Paswan said the work should be executed by the local government alone, with help from other agencies.

Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, Mr. Paswan said he would apprise the Prime Minister of the situation and press for more Central assistance for expediting the relief work in the worst affected areas.

While appealing for generous contribution from philanthropists, Mr. Paswan said the Steel Authority of India and the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited would donate Rs. one crore and Rs. 50 lakhs respectively to the relief fund.

The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, consisting of major Indian pharma companies, would donate medicines worth Rs. one crore. His party MPs and MLAs would donate their one month's salary to the fund, Mr. Paswan said.

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