vasan assures assistance from centre for damage

The Central government will extend its assistance, once it receives the rain damage assessment report from the State government, said Union Minister for Shipping G.K.Vasan, at Vilankudi village near Thiruvaiyaru on Friday.

He was inspecting the inundated paddy fields at the village. Later, he told reporters that the damage was extensive and paddy crops on nearly four lakh acres have been submerged in the Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. The rain was torrential in coastal districts and infrastructure facilities such as roads have been badly hit. Loss of human life and those of cattle have also been reported.

It is for the Tamil Nadu government to provide immediate and necessary relief to the affected people. "In view of the alarming weather forecast by the meteorological department and as there is every likelihood of rain continuing, the State government should take all precautionary measures and rush relief to people," Mr.Vasan said. On the possibility of a central team visiting the State, the Minister said "The Central government's help would depend on the magnitude of the damage and if the State government wanted it."

Mr.Vasan said that he would inspect the rain damage in Ariyalur and Perambalur districts on his way to Chennai on Friday. The Minister was accompanied by G.Rangaswamy Moopanar and Suresh Moopanar, AICC members; Amaramurthy MLA; M.Ramkumar former MLA and Nanji Varadarajan, Thanjavur South district president of the party