CHENNAI : Just as the enumeration of damages caused by the cyclone Gaja, is being finalised after comprehensive cross-checking by the officials of the Revenue and other departments, the State government has made a formal declaration that five districts - Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai, and Kodaikanal in Dindigul district, are areas severely affected by the cyclone.
Meanwhile, official sources said the State government has disbursed Rs 246.55 crore towards the first instalment of compensation to be paid to the farmers who had lost their trees in the cyclone in ten districts. Orders for the same, were issued on December 11.
The G.O dated December 10, regarding the declaration of the districts affected by the cyclone was issued by Revenue Secretary Atulya Misra. It said in respect of Dindigul district, Reddiyarchathiram block has been moderately affected.
Besides, there have been sporadic damages in Dindigul East, Dindigul West, Nilakottai, Natham, Athoor, Palani, Oddanchathiram and Vedasanthur taluks. Similarly, the West taluk of Dindigul district, Manapparai and Marungapuri taluks of Tiruchy district, have been declared as moderately affected.
The Collectors of the districts - Sivaganga, Tiruchy, Madurai, Theni, Cuddalore and Karur, reported that these districts have been mildly affected due to the cyclone. The number of mildly affected taluks in eight districts are as follows: Dindigul (6), Karur (6), Cuddalore (5), Madurai (9), Sivaganga (9), Theni (5), Ramanathapuram (8) and Trichy (9). Besides, the State government has declared 63 taluks in eight districts as mildly affected.
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The Commissioner of Revenue Administration stated that cyclone Gaja has affected all walks of life, ravaged the economy of fishermen, crippled power, transport infrastructure and dealt a heavy blow to agricultural and horticultural crops.
In spite of the extensive preparedness measures taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu for Cyclone Gaja, loss of human lives, livestock, poultry and damages to huts, tiled houses, agricultural crops, etc., could not be averted and this damage had resulted in a loss of livelihood of the poor, the G.O said.
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Further, due to the magnitude of the cyclone Gaja, extensive damages to the power infrastructure had affected rural industries and had a cascading effect on livelihood opportunities in formal and
informal sectors.
Similarly, agriculture including horticulture and plantation crops, road networks, fisheries infrastructure, drinking water supply, community assets of local bodies etc., had also been extensively damaged, leading to loss of livelihood.