Cyclone Fengal damage in Puducherry: CM Rangasamy presents detailed report to central team

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy presented a detailed report about the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal in the union territory to Rajesh Gupta, the head of the seven-member inter-ministerial Central team on Sunday.

The central team had a meeting with the Chief Minister in his chamber during their visit to inspect the damage caused by the cyclone and unprecedented rains in the union territory. A release from the office of the Chief Minister said that the report presented by the Chief Minister highlighted the extensive damage the cyclone caused to agriculture, livestock, power installations, roads and bridges, and the hamlets of fisherfolk.

The report sought Central assistance to the Puducherry to tackle the situation. The release however did not elaborate on the quantum of relief the territorial government sought through the report.

The chief minister had recently sent letters to the prime minister and the union home minister making an interim assessment of losses. As per his interim assessment, Puducherry union territory sustained damages to the tune of Rs 614.88 crore during the Cyclone Fengal event and CM sought immediate release of Rs 600 crore as first installment.

On Sunday, the Central team visited villages, urban and suburban areas in two groups for an on the spot assessment of the damage. The release said that while one team visited the villages and cyclone-ravaged areas in Puducherry taluk the other team visited the interior villages in the Bahoor taluk and saw for themselves the extent of the havoc caused especially to the roads and bridges.

The Chief Minister briefed the team about the damage. Chief Secretary to Puducherry administration Sharat Chouhan, District Collector A Kulothungan, Speaker R Selvam, Local Administration Minister Theni C Djeacoumar, Home Minister of Puducherry A Namassivayam, Civil Supplies Minister P R N Tirumourugan and officials of Revenue and Disaster Management department of Puducherry were present.

The team would also have a meeting with the Lt. Governor K Kailashnathan Monday, official sources said.

Puducherry government has already announced through a notification that Puducherry, Karaikal, and Yanam regions of the Union Territory are natural calamity-affected areas. The Chief Minister had announced a slew of relief measures including payment of Rs 5,000 through bank accounts to all the families covered under public distribution system. He had also announced relief to the dairy farmers who lost their milch animals and calves in the flood.