Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday, November 14, inspected the Cauvery delta areas that were battered by heavy rains and directed officials to estimate the crop loss. After inspection in Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai districts also met media personnel.
Opposition leader K Palaniswami on Sunday had on Sunday, demanded that the government provide 30,000 rupees per acre as compensation to farmers. Stalin responded to this saying that the Opposition parties would come up with claims to criticise the government and gain political mileage, and he was not worried about it.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management KKSSR Ramachandran said paddy crop spread over 45,826 hectares in 24 districts, including Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore, is submerged in rainwater. District collectors have been advised to start work to calculate crop losses with floodwater receding from agricultural fields, he said in a statement.
As many as 52,751 people have been accommodated in 99 relief camps in 9 districts including Mayliduthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengelpattu, and Kancheepuram besides the Chennai Corporation areas. They are being provided food and other amenities, Ramachandran said.
During the inspection, Stalin expressed satisfaction over the relief work. “People are happy. There are, however, some grievances. That will also be addressed in five or six days,” he said.
The chief minister gave away assistance, which includes 4,100 rupees in cash for partial damage to hutments and a 10-kilo bag of rice and clothes to the affected people.
He was accompanied by his senior cabinet colleagues and officials briefed him on the initiatives being pursued in rain-hit areas to restore normalcy.
Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai districts have so far borne the brunt of the north-east monsoon.
Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai recorded 44 centimetres of rain on November 12 which is an all-time high for this region and the highest in Tamil Nadu during that 24-hour period.