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Patil promises flood relief

Special Correspondent

Team to assess flood situation in Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, today assured Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu that the Centre would sanction some amount of money for flood relief immediately. "The required amount of money will also be sanctioned after a team is sent to Tamil Nadu. The team is leaving today," he said.

Responding to the issue raised by AIADMK leader P.G. Narayanan, Mr. Patil said a central team had visited Tamil Nadu to assess the previous rainfall whereas on Sunday he, accompanied by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaran and Minister of State for Home, S. Regupathy, had visited the State. They made an aerial survey of nine districts for nearly three hours to assess the damage caused by floods.

Seeking the Rs. 3000 crores sought by State Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, Mr. Narayanan said there had been abnormal rainfall in three spells in the State. Before it could recover from the previous two spells, there was a third spell of torrential rains and heavy floods resulting in heavy loss of lives and extensive damage to infrastructure and standing crops.

V. Narayana Swamy (Congress) said Pondicherry had also suffered heavy damage due to rains and floods and should be assisted for relief and rehabilitation.

Making a special mention, N.P. Durga (TDP) said the Centre had released a paltry sum of Rs. 329 crores against a demand of Rs. 2400 crores and 15 lakh tonnes of food grains made by the Andhra Pradesh government for flood relief and rehabilitation. She sought Rs. 2000 crore and 10 lakh tonnes of food grains for the flood affected.

Members from Karnataka also sought funds for flood relief and rehabilitation.

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