Chennai: “All the areas we inspected saw massive destruction by cyclone Gaja,” said Union Home Affairs Ministry Joint Secretary Daniel Richard who is heading the seven member Central team which is currently accessing cyclone Gaja-hit areas.
Also, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is likely to visit Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts again on 28 November to access damages there.
The seven-member Central team started its assessment Saturday from Pudukottai, covered Thanjavur and Tiruvarur yesterday. Today, the members assessed Nagapattinam district along with Karaikal and Puducherry.
The team visited Virudamavadi village and assessed a completely shattered EB substation. Then, they interacted with Ministers O S Manian, Udhayakumar and the District Collector Suresh Kumar.
Later today, they visited Karaikal and Puducherry. Once the assessment gets completed, they will be taking a flight to New Delhi tonight. They informed that their report will be released post 27 November.
Hospital services free
Public in the Cyclone Gaja-hit districts of Thanajvur, Tiruchi, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga will not have to pay fees to have MRI, CT scan done in the government hospitals in these areas.
Making this announcement at Pudukottai, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr C Vijaya Baskar, said those who needed to take MRI or CT scan in government hospitals can have it done for free.
Farmer ends life
A Neduvasal farmer Thirselvan (45) today committed suicide by drinking insecticide after all the coconut and Savuku trees in his 23 acre land got uprooted by cyclone Gaja.