CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday said that the State Government would provide a suitable relief package after completing enumeration of the affected people. She had already directed the officers concerned to take up the enumeration immediately.

In a statement issued here after a review meeting on the flood situation in Chennai with specific reference to the removal of water from areas that were still water-logged and also the measures to be taken to prevent the incidence of infectious and water-borne diseases, she said the immediate priority was to provide food and water supply as also shelter.

About 3.5 lakh persons were provided food packets three times, including those who were evacuated and given shelter at the 143 relief centres of the Chennai Corporation. Food was supplied to the marooned people too. Metro Water had taken steps to provide water supply through lorries to areas where there was a lack of proper drinking water supply. Aavin has also provided 50,000 water sachets, she said.

Additional dosage of chlorine was being added to the water as a precautionary measure. Special attention was given to severely affected areas such as Pulianthope, Vyasarpadi, Tondiarpet and Perambur in north Chennai.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said that the flood water levels in Pulianthope, Perambur, Vyasarpadi and Tondiarpet has started receding rapidly, thanks to cutting open blockages in the Otteri Nullah, North Buckingham Canal and other drains. Steps had been taken to clear water stagnating in the Erukancheri subway and other subways in the area.

On efforts to restore milk supply, she said the Ambattur Dairy had become functional. Aavin had ensured the despatch of the entire quantity of 7.7 lakh litres on Saturday morning. Adequate quantities of milk would be stored in the Automatic Vending Machines (AVMs) in the affected areas.

Out of 808 feeder units of 11 KV capacities, all but 11 had become operational now. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board had been instructed to restore supply to the remaining areas expeditiously after ensuring safety. In the last 24 hours the Police and the Corporation officials have removed 95 trees, bringing the total number of fallen trees removed to 264 to restore normal bus services.

"My Government has taken sincere and dedicated action to permanently set right the drainage problems in Chennai City and the neighbouring areas. It is solely due to this dedicated effort that despite a record breaking intense rainfall in a short period, the drainage system has functioned well", Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

Desilting of the Adyar, Cooum, Buckingham Canal, Arumbakkam-Virugambakkam Canal, Velacheri Drain and the Otteri Nullah maintained by the Public Works Department at a cost of Rs. 62.34 crores, improvement of existing sewer and water lines, provision of new water and sewer lines and maintenance work undertaken at a total cost of Rs. 270 crores and major renovation and improvement of canals maintained by the Chennai Corporation at a cost of Rs. 9.69 crores during the last four years had also ensured efficient drainage of most of the areas of the city despite the intensity of the rainfall, she said.

"The high intensity downpour on October 27 has resulted in unprecedented flooding in North Chennai. This makes it necessary to again re-examine whether the carrying capacity of both the Otteri Nullah and the North Buckingham Canal can be increased substantially, so that flood waters received from upstream areas in these drains can be discharged faster. This new improvement plan will be taken up based on the situation that has arisen this season," the Chief Minister said.

She also highlighted the efficacy of the contingency plan. Against the normal quantity of pumping of 350 million litres of sewage daily, currently in the last three days, 700 million litres have been pumped each day.

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