Nagapattinam: A central team deputed to assess the damage caused by cyclone Gaja Monday completed its three-day inspection in storm-hit districts of Tamilnadu with a visit to affected areas of Nagapattinam district.
The team, led by Daniel E Richard, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, completed its inspections and later in the day proceeded to neighbouring Karaikkal in the Union territory of Puducherry, official sources told PTI.
They visited affected areas, including the worst-hit Vettaikaraniruppu village near here. Winding up the visit, Richard assured that all the storm-affected people would get appropriate relief.
The team visited districts, including Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam that witnessed extensive damage, he told reporters here. “We will go back and submit a report…so that people will get benefit with more help from the Centre.”
He said it was not possible to visit every place struck by the storm within such a short time span. On the storm and its impact, he said, “We are surrounded by disaster on the left and right and we have seen all the damage.”
Referring to the magnitude of the damage, the senior official said, “This is a huge disaster and it is not possible for things to happen overnight.” He recounted how even “a strong structure” like a civil supplies godown could not withstand the force of the gale.
Power infrastructure, including electricity poles, were damaged, and people did not expect sea water intrusion to bring in slush to villages, he said, adding boats were also destroyed. People who regarded coconut trees as their children were devastated to have the plantations destroyed in the strong winds, he said.
Asked how he felt interacting with the victims, Richard said it was a “moving experience which I cannot put in words. I am a human being (too).” He lauded the rehabilitation efforts of the government machinery, who worked round the clock to clear roads, uprooted trees, bring succour to the victims and restore damaged electricity infrastructure.
Drinking water supply and food distribution to the affected people in relief camps were going on well, he said. In particular, lots of lives were saved due to the timely action of the government in warning people about the cyclone and moving those in vulnerable areas to safer places.
“Fishermen we met too told us that none died and it is all due to the preemptive action of the government to save people,” the top union Home Ministry official said. Earlier, the team held a discussion at the Nagapattinam collectorate with the Collector C Sureshkumar, senior officials and Tamilnadu Ministers.
The Collector explained the extent of damage through a video presentation. The team inspected the Tamilnadu Electricity Board’s sub-station at Vettaikarairuppu that was completely destroyed in the cyclone.
The members interacted with the affected people at Therkkupoigainallur. Arupathy Kalyanam, general secretary of the Federation of Farmers Associations of Cauvery Delta Districts, submitted a memorandum to the team, demanding the release of crop loss compensation from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
He said coconut and other perennial trees in around 40,000 hectares in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts were uprooted, adding that farmers required around Rs 2 to 3 lakh per hectare to remove the trees.
“The compensation announced by the Tamilnadu government is paltry. The central government should ensure a fair micro level accurate assessment in the affected villages and provide suitable compensation under NDRF,” he added.
He said the government should follow the same yardstick in paying compensation as it did to those affected by the proposed eight lane Salem-chennai highway project, who had been promised Rs 50,000 for a single coconut tree.
The team commenced its inspection on 24 November in Pudukottai district. Cyclone ‘Gaja‘ had made landfall on 16 November between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, about 300 km from Chennai. It left behind a trail of destruction in districts, including Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur.