Submit assessment on time for Central aid: O Panneerselvam

Chennai: Briefing the high-level team from the Centre in detail about the trail of destruction left by Cyclone Vardah, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Wednesday asked the committee to make an “in-depth assessment” of the damages and submit its report to the home ministry soon so that the quantum of relief is decided at the earliest.

Meeting the 9-member committee headed by Praveen Vashistha, joint secretary (LWE) in the home ministry, at the secretariat on Wednesday morning, the Chief Minister told the team that the state government had worked on war-footing to evacuate people from low-lying areas and take precautionary measures that led to minimising loss of lives.

Vashistha had a word of appreciation for the state government when he said that the team could see the speedy restoration works done by the state government even as they arrived in the airport and on their way to the secretariat.

“Praveen Vashista stated that even from Delhi, they were able to gauge the intensity of the cyclone based on media reports. (He) commended the quick restoration work undertaken by the state government,” an official statement said.

The Tamil Nadu Government has assessed damaged to the tune of Rs 22,500 crores and has demanded an immediate assistance of Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre. During Wednesday’s meeting, Panneerselvam asked the high-level committee to make an in-depth assessment of the damages caused by the cyclone and submit the report at the earliest.

“The rationale behind seeking early submission of the report is for early disbursement of the relief fund. The quantum of relief will be decided only based on the recommendations of the high-level committee from the Centre,” a senior official said.

K. Manocharan, director in-charge of department of agriculture, co-operation & farmers welfare, R.B. Kaul, assistant director, ministry of finance, K. Narayan Reddy from drinking water and sanitation ministry, R. Roshini Arthur, regional director of ministry of health and family welfare, Sumeet Kumar from the Central Electricity Authority, D. S. Arvind, regional officer of the ministry of road transport & highways, S. B. Tiwari, under secretary of ministry of rural development and R. Azhagesan from Central Water Commission are other members of the team.