A central inter-ministerial team has begun assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal in several districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The team’s visit follows an initial report from the Tamil Nadu government, which estimates a relief requirement of Rs 2,475 crore.
Previously, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had requested Rs 2,000 crore in interim relief. In response, the Centre has already sanctioned Rs 944 crore as immediate assistance for flood-affected areas.
The central team will carry out damage assessments over the weekend, visiting key districts on Saturday and Sunday. Upon its arrival in Chennai on Friday evening, the team met with Chief Minister Stalin at the state secretariat to coordinate efforts.
Led by Rajesh Gupta, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the team includes senior officials from various ministries, including K. Ponnusamy (Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare), Sonamani Haobam (Finance), R. Saravanan (Jal Shakti), Dhanapalan Kumaran (Road Transport), Rahul Bachkheti (Power), and Balajee K.M. (Rural Development).
Following their meeting with state officials, the team is set to survey districts such as Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri starting Saturday. With Cyclone Fengal affecting 14 districts, the team will likely split into multiple groups to expedite the assessment process.
The Union Territory of Puducherry, which has sustained significant damage to infrastructure and agriculture, will also be inspected. Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan has already convened a meeting with officials to prepare detailed damage reports in anticipation of the visit.
Cyclone Fengal has impacted approximately 1.5 crore people across 14 districts, displacing 69 lakh families and resulting in 40 fatalities. The storm has also caused the loss of 3,000 cattle and 2.5 lakh poultry. Torrential rains, exceeding 50 cm in some areas, have submerged several districts, including Villupuram, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi. Other affected regions include Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, and Krishnagiri.
The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) is the primary source for disaster relief at the state level, with the Union government contributing 75 percent of the allocation for general category states and 90 percent for special category states and union territories. In cases of severe disasters, the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) supplements the SDRF, provided that states submit utilization certificates to qualify for additional allocations.
(IANS)