Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday pegged the losses in the North-East Monsoon rains at Rs84.81 billion (Dh4.69 billion). State Chief Minister Jayalalitha urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release Rs20 billion to sustain relief work.
In a letter, she told Modi that 169 lives have been lost in rain-related incidents since October 1 and that her government had allocated Rs5 billion for relief work.
She said a much higher funds are required as per a state government assessment.
“The requirement of funds for immediate rescue and relief and the temporary and permanent restoration of infrastructure has been worked out at Rs84.81billion,” Jayalalitha said.
She requested Modi to depute a central team to assess the damage and financial aid without any delay.
“In the meanwhile, I request that Rs20billion may be sanctioned immediately to enable the state government to sustain the relief and restoration operations,” Jayalalitha said.
The chief minister recalled that a deep depression of ‘high intensity’ in the Bay of Bengal had hit the state coast near Marakkanam on November 10, causing extremely heavy rainfall, particularly in the four northern coastal districts of Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur.
“Based on the forecast received from Indian Meteorological Department and the alerts received from the National Disaster Management Agency, adequate precautionary measures were taken. which minimised loss to life and property,” she said. State-level agencies and local administration in the affected districts were put on high alert, she said.
High level teams of ministers and senior IAS officers were deputed to monitor the preventive, rescue and relief operations while Revenue, Police, Fire Service and Public Works departments were fully mobilised, the chief minister said.
“In addition, the services of the National Disaster Response Force, Army, Air Force, Navy and the Coast Guard were requisitioned,” she told Modi.
