The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Survey of rain-hit farmlands on

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 24, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Survey of rain-hit farmlands on

Special Correspondent

The objective is to ascertain damage to crops

TAMBARAM: Officials of the Kancheepuram district administration are conducting asurvey of the total extent of farmlands affected in the recent spell of heavy rain. Some of the worst affected pockets included areas under cultivation in Madurantakam, Uthiramerur and Sriperumbudur taluks, where many river banks, water channels and lakes breached.

Staff of the Revenue and Agriculture departments were conducting joint inspection to ascertain the extent of damage to crops owing to the heavy rain on December 18 and 19, said officials at the Kancheepuram Collectorate.

The district average rainfall on Tuesday was 13.3 c. On the same day, the highest level of rainfall, recorded in the district, was 19.5 cm in Madurantakam. On Saturday, Labour Welfare Minister T.M.Anbarasan distributed relief to the affected families at a function in Chengalpattu in the presence of Collector Santhosh K. Misra. The Minister gave Rs. 1 lakh to the family of Ravaikannu, a woman resident of Chengalpattu, who died during the rain during the two-day spell.

Roads, minor and small bridges suffered extensive damage in the rain. A total of 572 km of roads maintained by the Highways Department and 310 km maintained by the Rural Development Department have been damaged, in addition to 301 minor and small bridges. A total of 77 huts were fully damaged and 2,234 huts, partially. Temporary shelters were opened in 12 locations and nearly 2,000 people accommodated in them. Food packets were distributed to around 10,000 people, officials added.

Officials said that of the 917 lakes in the district, 718 of them were filled to the brim. River banks and water channels were damaged in nearly 40 places and many lake bunds were damaged all over the district. However, they were immediately attended to and further damage was prevented, officials added.

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

Tamil Nadu