Aid for rain, flood-ravaged Tamil Nadu

     Chennai: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has assured the Tamil Nadu Government that the Centre would release funds to carry out rescue and relief operations in the flood and rain affected areas of the state immediately. Talking to newsmen after visiting the affected areas at Suryanagar on the city outskirts, he said a team of Central ministers would give their assessment on the damages incurred to the Prime Minister. Initially, funds would released for immediate flood relief and rescue operations, he said.

     Besides, a Central team would also be visiting the state to assess the rain and flood relief works and submit its report, which would also be taken into consideration while releasing the funds, he said. Patil said the Central government would consider the request of the state government for funds to carry out relief works. However, he declined to disclose the exact quantum of the amount that would be sanctioned to the state saying "relief package is the immediate need of the state". The Minister, accompanied by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Union Minister of State for Home, S Raghupathy, would also have an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Tiruchirappalli districts later. The focus of the visit is expected on the districts of Madurai and Cuddalore. Over 200,000 people have been displaced so far from their homes in coastal districts by rain and flood and several villages in Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli and Perambalur districts are still inaccessible. Rail and road services have also suffered badly due to flash floods and several southern districts bound trains from Chennai remained cancelled for the fourth consecutive day. On Friday, two buses were swept away from bridges in Ramanathapuram and Thanjavur districts in flash floods, claiming nearly 70 lives.

      On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa announced several relief measures after visiting the flood-hit areas of her state. She announced a cash assistance of 50,000 rupees (1136 dollars) to the families of those killed in two separate incidents on Friday. In one incident, at least 49 bodies were fished out from a flooded stream in Perumalkoil village in Thanjavur district, about 300 kms south of the state capital Chennai. The dead included 22 women and seven children. Thirty-one people were undergoing treatment at hospitals in Pattukottai, the nearest town. The accident occurred when the bus driver tried to cross an overflowing causeway across a jungle stream that is dry most part of the year except during the monsoon rains. The bus rolled into the stream and was swept away for 15 metres. Firemen used cranes and ropes to pull it out. Earlier on Friday, at least 30 passengers of another bus died when the vehicle was swept away in flash floods in Ramanathapuram district. Jayalalithaa also made an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in the state's Cuddalore District. Jayalalithaa has requisitioned the services of the Army too. The overflowing Cauvery river breached its banks at a few places. People inlow lying areas have been evacuated. She spoke to the victims at many places and promised all possible help. "I have been elected to power only to serve you in times of crisis like this, and that is the priority of my Government. We will provide every affected family with 2,000 rupees (45 dollars) as cash assistance, with 10 kilos of rice, one litre of kerosene apart from one dhoti and a saree," she told them. Tamil Nadu has been lashed by heavy rain over the past few days due to a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal. In badly hit Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli and Karur districts, over 200,000 people have been displaced over the last couple of days. Several trains had to be cancelled due to flooding of tracks.