Chennai: Additional teams have been formed to speed up relief works in cyclone Gaja hit areas of Tamilnadu. Also, more Ministers and officials have been rushed to supervise the works, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today.
A total of six districts including Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur and Pudukottaoi were worst-hit by Gaja. Trees were uprooted and traffic was hit. Works to clear them are on at full swing. Also uprooted lamp posts are being set right. New lamp posts have been taken to the places.
The Chief Minister has announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased. A total of 49 deaths have been reported so far. Palaniswami said a detailed survey would be undertaken to ascertain damages to houses besides crop and cattle loss.
In Nagapattinam, State Ministers O S Manian, R B Udhayakumar, Thangamani and D Jayakumar are camping to speed up relief works. In Thiruvarur ( R Kamaraj and Dindigul Srinivasan), Thanjavur (Duraikannu, Velumani and MP Vaithilingam) and in Pudkottai (Vijayabaskar) are supervising the post cyclone works.
The Chief Minister also ordered rushing an additional 11 Ministers to cyclone-hit areas. Senior Ministers including Sengottaiyan, Udumalai Radhakrishnan, Kadambur Raju, Sellur Raju, Rajenthira BalajiK C Karupannan, Baskaran and M R Vijayabaskar have been deputed to oversee the work.
The Chief Minister will also hold detailed discussion with officials on the devastation caused by Gaja cyclone in the Secretariat soon.
Palaniswami will leave for six districts affected by the cyclone on Tuesday. He said, “He will inspect the damages. Based on it will prepare a detailed report to be forwarded to the Centre. He assured that they will take steps to compensate the loss suffered by farmers.”
Urging all to stand united at the hour of crisis, he said, “speedy relief work is the need of the hour”.