Central team to visit Kerala to assess Monsoon damage

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2 (UNI) A ten-member Central team will arrive in the state tomorrow to assess the damage caused by Monsoon, State Revenue Minister K P Rajendran said today.

The team led by Home Department Joint Secretary S K Chattopadhyaya, included top officials of agriculture, finance, planning, health, rural development, water supply, road transport and highways, energy and water resources departments, he told reporters here.

The team, which arrives at Kochi tomorrow, would have discussions with the ministers and other officials concerned before they start touring the monsoon-hit regions.

The team would be divided into three groups and all the 14 districts would be covered in three days, Mr Rajendran said.

The team would hold a discussion with Chief Minister and other officials on August seven before leaving for New Delhi, he added.

On reports that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 50 crore as advance to the state from the Calamity Relief Fund for monsoon-related incidents, the Minister said it was unofficially known that the amount had been sanctioned.

No order had reached the office till now, he added.

Regarding Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy's allegation that the exgratia of Rs one lakh to the families of the victims of natural calamities had not been given, he said the Centre's order revising the exgratia amount had come on June 27 and as per that a committee under the Chief Secretary was constituted.

The government had already issued an order to disperse the revised exgratia to the families of those killed in monsoon related incidents, he said and added that there was no delay in it.

UNI