The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : More information sought on rain damage

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Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

More information sought on rain damage

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Central team inspects affected areas in Thanjavur, Tiruchi and Tuticorin districts

Team to visit Tirunelveli, Virudunagar, Ramanathapuram today
It will hold discussions with officials in Chennai on Wednesday

— Photo: M. Srinath

KNOWING THEIR PLIGHT: Members of the Central team interacting with rain-hit people of Thanjavur district on Monday, along with Commissioner for Revenue Administration Shaktikanta Das. (left)

CHENNAI: The Centre has sought additional information on the status of damage caused by unseasonal rain in the State last month, Dharmendra Sharma, leader of the visiting Central team, said on Monday.

On getting the information, the team will hold discussions with the State government. It will then submit the report to the Centre, he told reporters at Chithiraikudi, after visiting rain-hit areas in Thanjavur district.

Mr. Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the team had assessed damage to crops, buildings and roads in the district.

The team inspected damaged crops, particularly gingelley, and school and anganwadi buildings at Alakudi.

At Kalvirayanpettai, it was shown the affected green gram crops.

The team visited the damaged Village Administrative Officer’s office at Chithirakudi.

Budalur and Thanjavur had suffered extensive damage, said K. Manoharan, Director (Tobacco Development), and a team member.

According to Collector C. Vijayaraj Kumar, crops, including paddy, maize, pulses and cotton, had suffered damaged on 66,879 hectares in the district.

Grant sought

At Tiruchi, Collector T. Soundaiah sought an allocation of Rs.45.13 crore towards damages caused to crops and infrastructure. While damage to crops had been put at Rs.6.80 crore, damage to roads, culverts and other infrastructure had been estimated at Rs.38.33 crore.

Commissioner for Revenue Administration, Sakthikantha Das, briefed the team on the extent of damage caused to standing paddy and black gram.

Mayor Sarubala R. Tondaiman informed the team that roads in several residential colonies were badly damaged.

Visit to Tuticorin

The team also conducted a tour of Tuticorin district.

It would visit Tirunelveli, Virudunagar and Ramanathapuram on Tuesday. It would hold discussions with officials in Chennai on Wednesday, Mr. Sharma said.

At Thiruvarur on Sunday, the team inspected affected crops at Therupuliyur and Mudikondan in Nannilam taluk and Savalakaran and Perumagalur in Mannargudi taluk.

It was shown damaged roads at Kothavasal on the Tiruvarur-Mayiladuthurai stretch and the damaged middle school building at Sannanallur.

Tiruvarur Collector M. Chandrasekaran and Members of the Legislative Assembly V. Sivapunniyam and P. Padmavathi accompanied the team.

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