WADING THROUGH WATER: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa coming out of a make-shift shelter at a Corporation school on Rajaji Salai in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday assured the people that flood relief work had been taken up on a war-footing and the entire Government machinery had been pressed into action to provide necessary assistance to the people affected.

Ms. Jayalalithaa personally inspected some of the rain-ravaged areas in Chennai, shortly after reviewing the flood situation in the State. She visited areas close to the Central Station, Periamet, Elephant Gate, Vepery police station, Chintadripet, Triplicane and Nochikuppam. She also inspected the relief centres at Chintadripet and Nochikuppam.

Consoles flood victims

After consoling the flood victims at the Corporation Middle School on Arunachalam Street in Chintadripet, which had been converted into a relief centre, the Chief Minister told reporters that she had deputed seven Ministers to different zones in the city to coordinate relief operations. She had also asked eight IAS officers to take up relief work at once under the supervision of the Commissioner.

Even as the situation in other districts was improving, Chennai had been battered by an extraordinarily heavy spell of rainfall on Thursday morning, she said. The Government had stepped up alert as the meteorological centre had indicated that the rainfall would be intense over the next 24 hours, she added.

Power supply

She had asked the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, which had stopped power supply in the heavily flooded areas as a precautionary measure, to restore supply after ensuring that the installation was safe.

Petromax lights would be arranged as a backup at the relief centres set up by the Corporation to accommodate people evacuated from low-lying areas.

"I have instructed the Corporation authorities to open as many additional relief centres as are necessary."

She had also directed the civic body to provide food packets to all the persons affected. The Corporation had geared up its central kitchens and distribution through a grid of hotels, she said.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said that she had asked the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, to organise adequate number of mobile medical teams to go around the city to provide medical assistance to those stranded or hurt or requiring help. The hospitals had also been alerted to be prepared with ambulance services and 24-hour readiness to handle any emergency.

Food packets

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation had been instructed to keep food packets ready for air dropping if necessary.

The Aavin authorities had also been alerted to organise milk supplies as usual, she said.

When fishermen of Nochikuppam complained of incursion of seawater in the area, she told them that officials concerned would be asked to look into it.

She also inspected the Parthasarathy temple tank at Triplicane, where rainwater harvesting had been done successfully.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail