Centre to assess cyclone damage on December 27

The team will be headed by Praveen Vashista, joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs. While four team members will be from New Delhi, it will also include three persons from Tamil Nadu. 

Those from Chennai are Dr R Roshini Arthur, senior regional director of the regional office of the ministry of health and family welfare, DS Arvind, regional officer of the ministry of road transport and high ways and R Azhagbesan, director (monitoring) of central water commission. 

The other members are SB Tiwari, undersecretary (Skills) of the central rural development ministry, Sumeet Kumar, deputy director in the central electricity authority, K Narayan Reddy, under secretary of the drinking water and sanitation department, RB Kaul, assistant director, ministry of finance and K Manocharan, director in charge in the Tobacco Directorate, Kolkatta.  

The team will arrive on Tuesday evening and on Wednesday, visit Chennai Corporation, view a display on Vardah damage, visit affected areas in the city limits, then visit Vandalur and some localities in Kanchipuram district before returning to Chennai for the night. On Thursday, the focus will be on Tiruvallur district.  The team will assess the damages caused by the severe cyclonic storm and submit a detailed report to the Union Government recommending suitable financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation works. 

After visiting the districts, the team is expected to hold discussions with Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and other officials before leaving for New Delhi on Friday. Immediately after the cyclone, CM Panneerselvam urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depute a Central team to assess the damages.