Slight let-up in TN rains, relief work picks up

With a slight let-up in rain, relief work picked up in flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu and life started returning to normal. The sky, how...

With a slight let-up in rain, relief work picked up in flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu and life started returning to normal. The sky, however, remained overcast and the weather office predicted rain or thundershowers at a few places in the state till tomorrow morning.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today evening and enquired about the flood situation in the state. The PM assured that he would provide full support to the state government in its relief efforts, officials said. During the talk, the CM informed Singh about the prompt relief operations undertaken by her government to evacuate people to safer places and provide them food and other amenities.

As the toll in rain-related incidents since November 1 rose to 279, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who toured the rain-affected areas with Jayalalithaa and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, said that he would take up the state’s demand for Rs 3,000 crore for rescue and rehabilitation efforts with the prime minister.

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Jayalalithaa, stating that her government was unable to make a proper assessment of the damage as roads had been damaged, demanded that another Central team be sent to assess the damage.

Chidambaram said the flood had severely hit the state. ‘‘One Central team has already visited the flood-affected areas and another team will be visiting the state soon.’’

‘‘We will give our report to the prime minister and interim relief for taking up rescue and rehabilitation work will be released. Whatever funds are needed work will be given’’, he said.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has pressed three ships and two helicopters for round-the-clock rescue and relief operations in rain-hit Cuddalore district.

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After a gap of four days, train services between southern districts of Tamil Nadu and Chennai resumed today.

‘Disaster Management Bill in two days’

chennai: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited Tamil Nadu on Sunday, said that the Disaster Management Bill would be tabled in Parliament in the next two days. ‘‘The Bill would help states undertake disaster management measures at a faster pace. All the states would be requested to adopt the Bill,’’ he said.

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