Stalin pins hope on Central team

DMK president MK Stalin has urged the Central team which had assessed the cyclone damage in Delta districts to table its report and help disburse relief soon to the affected people.

Describing the report of the Central team as the last hope to rehabilitate the cyclone affected people and their livelihood, Stalin, writing for party organ ‘Murasoli’ said the Rs 15,000 crore relief sought by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami without conducting necessary consultations and fully assessing the damage was insufficient.

Claiming that normalcy has not been restored even a fortnight since Cyclone Gaja hit the delta districts in the state, Stalin said that many villages were engulfed in gloom without power and the cyclone has destroyed nearly 30-year savings of the Delta people who fed all thus far. Criticising Palaniswami’s reasoning that aerial survey would help accurately assess the damage, Stalin, who is also the Leader of Opposition, remarked that the CM, unable to face the anger of the affected people, reached there by train and visited a few areas amid heavy security cover provided by the state police.

Stalin also alleged that the Chief Minister, who had met the Prime Minister and sought relief package in haste with incomplete data and without conducting a detailed review, had visited New Delhi only to receive an award presented by a private firm without checking the merit.

Cyclone affected people are not ready to believe the customary visits of the Chief Minister, his deputy and Ministers henceforth, the Leader of Opposition remarked, adding that the affected people did not expect namesake announcements, but continuous and comprehensive assistance to restore their livelihood.

The DMK chief also advised the state government to extend the deadline for payment of taxes and charges, as done for EB charges, apart from waiving their crop loans in full.

AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday condemned the state government and the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) for delaying the power restoration in Cyclone Gaja-hit districts. The RK Nagar legislator also alleged that the TNEB was using substandard concrete electric poles that are now being replaced with ones damaged in the cyclone. There are media reports stating that the electricity board employees are using concrete polls made of substandard cement. I wonder whether the electricity Minister P Thangamani is aware of the shabby work done by the department. Despite the EB workers working round the clock and giving their best, the poor-quality poles given to them endanger their lives, Dhinakaran said. Pointing out that the Minister Thangamani had made a statement saying that the Centre has allocated Rs 200 crore for the Tangedco to take up the relief works. Dhinakaran urged the state to come out with a White Paper on the expenses made by the Tangedco. It may be noted that Cyclone Gaja relief work has emerged as a political debate for the opposition parties in the state targeting the ruling AIADMK ahead of the next year Lok Sabha polls and by polls to 20 vacant assembly seats.