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Mudukulam (Kerala): A emotional but stoic Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today attempted to provide solace here to survivors and family members of those killed in the tsunami. He said his government would do everything to recover from the devastation. Visiting a relief camp in Mudukulam in Kerala's Alappuzha district this morning (Dec 30), Singh gave a patient hearing to the victims and distributed aid in cash and kind. "We share your sorrow and suffering. The central government will do whatever it can to help you. We won't be able to bring them (the dead) back. But we will help you to build your homes and get new boats," the Prime Minister said. Singh also visited another relief centre at NRPM High school at Kayamkulam. During his visit, Singh handed over ex gratia compensation of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of five people killed in Kollam district. He visited the Alappad Government Hospital, where he met nearly 400 people who had been injured in the tidal tragedy. He handed over passbooks of the State Bank of Travancore (SBT), where the ex gratia amount was deposited, to the relatives of the five deceased. One hundred and thirty people were killed in Kollam district on Sunday. Earlier, the Prime Minister arrived by a helicopter at the NTPC helipad and drove down to Mudukulam, about three km away. Apart from Chandy, the others who accompanied the Prime Minister were Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed and CWC member Ramesh Chennithala. The Prime Minister, who was scheduled to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands today for an on-the-spot survey, has postponed the visit. Informed sources said that he would visit the areas in a day or two. The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, who handed over about 25 tonnes of relief materials to the army and to Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Ram Kapse, will be visiting the Campbell Bay today. Singh is scheduled to stay on in the islands for one or two days. The
Prime Minister returned to New Delhi later in the evening. |
