Tamil Nadu floods: We ensure damage minimised, says under-fire state govt

Chennai: Under attack over alleged non-performance in flood relief and rescue operations, Tamil Nadu government on Fridau claimed "extra ordinary" efforts have been put in by various departments which ensured that the damage was minimised.

Senior cabinet minister and high officials of the government briefed the media about the rescue and relief efforts involving central and state agencies and said none will be left out in its efforts. Atulya Mishra, Chief Rehabilitation Officer, put the toll from various rain-related incidents since October 1 at 245 and said that it was not "astonishing" as reported.

Electricity Minister Netham R Vishwanathan said the opposition criticism, including those from DMK, were "politically motivated" and done with an eye on assembly elections scheduled next year.

"Opposition parties want to make politics out of this. They are doing vendetta and keeping an eye on elections. There is no iota of truth in the criticisms," he said when asked if the government had failed in the flood relief as alleged by opposition parties.

Housing Minister R Vaithilingam said that relief and rescue efforts were being done on a war footing.

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Chief Secretary K Gnadesikan said various departments of the state government had put in "extra ordinary" efforts to ensure that every affected person was attended to and ensure that nobody was left out in the process.

"In such a crisis, how can we do that (leave out people). We have been working 24 hours with police, revenue, municipal administration and others putting in extra ordinary efforts and every department involved in flood relief has contributed," he said.

He said for instance when the NDRF team arrived it is local authorities who had organised infrastructure and said that every official has been working to help the people.

"When discharge excess water from Chembarampakkam lake was increased manifold, the Chennai Collector and other senior police officials themselves had been on the ground monitoring evacuation activities."