Tamil Nadu govt under attack over cyclone Gaja relief

Rare appreciation from unlikely quarters including the DMK reversed gradually for Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK government in Cyclone Gaja’s aftermath, with angry inhabitants in the affected districts accosting ministers over the pace of restoration and the Opposition riding the dissatisfaction wave.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami travelled to the districts to survey the damage wreaked by the gale and downpour on Tuesday, five days after Gaja slammed across the coast. Earlier, handlooms minister OS Manian was confronted in a hostile manner by villagers at Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district, demanding resumption of basic services such as power and water supply.

Palaniswami said the November 15 cyclone brought over one lakh electric poles and at least 40 lakh coconut trees to the ground, indicating the magnitude of impact. “It is imperative that the relief works done by the administration and local help groups and others are respected, not belittled,” he said in response to severe criticisms and sporadic protests. The DMK flagged off a relief truck from the party headquarters in Chennai bearing emergency supplies, food, clothing and medicines to be distributed to the affected families in the seven cyclone-hit districts.

In response to Opposition leader Stalin’s question of why the chief minister had not visited the villages, Palaniswami said it was prudent to let the state machinery providing relief to step into the villages before the chief minister arrived to make a survey.

In a press release after the cyclone, the state government had announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 for the affected families and Rs 3,800 to buy basic necessities. Coconut farm owners will receive a compensation of Rs 2.64 lakh a hectare while cereal, cane and flower crop owners will get Rs 13,500 a hectare.

The cyclone took away the lives of 46 people, besides killing livestock in several hundreds.

An AIADMK top leader, on condition of anonymity, told ET that the government would examine the idea of more monetary relief to the affected families once the ministers were back in Chennai after their visit to the districts.

Palaniswami is expected to make a strong pitch with the Centre for more funds at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for Thursday.