Make in-depth assessment of rain damage, Jaya to central team

Chennai, Nov 26: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday asked a visiting central team to make an in-depth assessment of the damage suffered by the state due to torrential rains and submit its report "expeditiously" for release of financial assistance without any delay.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said the state had already received rainfall in excess of what it gets during the entire north-east monsoon.

Addressing the inter-ministerial central team led by Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry TVSN Prasad, she said the requirement of funds for relief and restoration of infrastructure was "well beyond the resources available with the state".

"I, therefore, request the central team to make an in-depth assessment of the damages suffered by the state and to submit its report to the Ministry of Home Affairs expeditiously, so that the Government of India would be able to release central financial assistance without any delay," she said.

The team, deputed yesterday by the Union government, met Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat here.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deputing the team which consists of members from different central departments, she told them that they can see first hand the widespread damage to property including dwelling units and crops, infrastructure including roads and bridges, "which have been battered in many areas".

"You will also be able to see the exemplary rescue and relief work which was undertaken by the state agencies," she said.

A copy of her address was released to the media. The districts of Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur have suffered large-scale damage and destruction on account of the extremely heavy rains, she said.

"To cite an example, at Neyveli in Cuddalore District it rained 437 mm on 9.11.2015. Similarly, Chennai has received the second heaviest monthly rainfall recorded in the past more than 100 years in just the first 20 days in November," she said.

The state on the whole has already received rainfall of 483.6 mm which was higher than the total rainfall it receives during the entire north-east monsoon season, which was 440.40 mm which went up to December, she said.

Jayalalithaa said her government had taken adequate precautionary measures which helped in minimising the loss of property and life. She has already allocated a Rs 500-crore relief package to handle the situation.

"However, the trail of damage and destruction caused by the extremely heavy rainfall indicates a requirement of much higher expenditure.

"Further, the extent of damage is still unfolding and we have many weeks left in the north-east monsoon period during which more weather systems are expected," she said and recalled that she had written to Modi seeking an immediate release of Rs 2000 crore.

Modi had on November 23 instructed the immediate release of financial assistance of Rs 939.63 crore to deal with the flood situation in Tamil Nadu.

Her government has pegged the loss at Rs 8481 crore. The team will visit the affected areas for three days from today and make its assessment.

PTI