Government urged to speed up Cyclone relief

CHENNAI: Political parties including the DMDK, PMK and the Congress have urged the State government to speed up cyclone relief work and get appropriate compensation from the Centre.In a statement here, DMDK president and leader of the opposition, Vijayakanth said the governments of TN and Puducherry should approach the Centre for formulating a special relief programme for the victims of cyclone Thane. Long term plans were required to rehabilitate fishermen and farmers who have lost their livelihood, he added.PMK founder leader S Ramadoss said Cuddalore and Villupuram districts’ coastal areas have been affected more by the cyclone. About 3 lakh acre of paddy crops ready for harvest have been inundated due to the heavy rains, he noted.Stating that preliminary estimates indicated a loss of `1000 and `2000 crore for TN and Pondy respectively, he said: “Puducherry and TN should take steps to get appropriate compensation from the Centre. The Union government should be apprised of the loss and a Central team should be requisitioned to assess damage.”TNCC president BS Gnanadesikan, quoting Union Minister V Narayanasamy’s assertion that an interim relief would be provided if Puducherry and TN submitted a report, said the State and Union governments should jointly devise plans to bail out farmers affected by the cyclone.