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Tsunami relief: legislation planned for land acquisition

Special Correspondent

Procedural wrangle leading to delay in construction of houses

FOR SPEEDY RELIEF: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at a review meeting at the Secretariat on Saturday. — Photo: DIPR

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday said procedural wrangle in acquisition of land had led to a delay in construction of houses to the tsunami-affected people. Hence, the State Government was contemplating separate legislation for immediate takeover of land. If the construction required exemption from the coastal regulation zone, then it would be taken up with the Centre.

Talking to newspersons after chairing a review meeting on the progress of rehabilitation works in the tsunami-ravaged districts, he said he came to know that many fishermen had not received the required help. So, he instructed the officials concerned to provide all necessary help to them at the earliest.

If there was any defect in the enumeration of "kattumaran-dependent" fishermen, then it should be corrected so that all of them were covered under a relief package.

It was decided to take over works that could not be completed by non-government organisations.

Earlier at the meeting — attended by Ministers, Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy, Secretaries of various departments, Collectors of 13 tsunami-affected districts — he said even one-and-a-half years after the tsunami hit the State, relief had not reached a certain section of the affected people.

Though assistance was provided to the affected families, there were many who did not get any relief .

It was unfortunate that several of them were still living in temporary shelters.

Mr. Karunanidhi exhorted the Collectors to take steps to shift them to safer places before the onset of monsoon.

For speedy execution of relief works, he wanted them to conduct weekly coordination meeting with NGOs involved in rehabilitation work. As sufficient funds were available from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, infrastructure such as power supply, link roads, sewerage lines and water supply should be provided in newly developed housing colonies according to the specifications of the funding agencies. Local municipalities could be involved in the task.

The Chief Minister made it clear that houses that lacked basic facilities should not be handed over to the beneficiaries.

He wanted them to take appropriate steps so that there was no casualty during such natural calamities in future.

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