CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday said that the State government will request the union government to send central teams to assess the damages caused by cyclone Fengal in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Chengalpattu districts so that restoration works could be carried out and to provide relief assistance to the people affected by heavy rains. Besides, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin has also left for Villupuram and Cuddalore districts to coordinate the relief and rescue operations.
"On Sunday also, heavy rains are expected in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts. So, the collectors of these districts have asked to be prepared to face any eventuality," the CM told reporters after reviewing the ongoing relief and rescue operations at the State Emergency Operations Centre in Ezhilagam.
Asked what sort of assistance the State government will be expecting from the union government, the CM said, "Rains continue in many districts. So, only after the rains stop, the government can provide relief assistance to the people affected by the rains. Also, an assessment of crop damage will be done after the rainwater has receded. On Monday, we will have a meeting of the officials concerned. After the meeting, a detailed memorandum will be sent to the government of India."
Stating that he has monitored the rain situation in other districts by speaking to the collectors, the CM said, "As far as Villupuram district is concerned, unprecedented rainfall has been recorded there—the situation there is being monitored constantly. Particularly, during the past 24 hours, Mayilam in the Villupuram district received 49cm of rainfall while Nemmeli got 46cm of rain. Vanur area received 46cm of rain."
He added that, to expedite relief and rescue operations, he has deputed Transport Minister SS Sivasankar and Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji to coordinate the rain works with Minister for Forests K Ponmudy. A team of IAS officers led by Water Resources Secretary K Manivasagam has reached Villupuram to coordinate the rain-related works. Similarly, Ministers MRK Panneerselvam and CV Ganesan, and senior IAS officers including Gagandeep Singh Bedi are monitoring the relief and rescue operations in the Cuddalore districts.
The CM said despite heavy rains, in most parts of Chennai, rainwater did not stagnate due to precautionary steps taken and the desilting of waterways in advance. In North Chennai areas, high power motor pumps were used to evacuate rainwater and, in some areas, this work is still on.
In Chennai, 1686 motor pumps have been kept ready to evacuate stagnated water. Of the 22 subways in Chennai, traffic flow has been normalised in 21 subways. In the Ganesapuram subway alone, traffic has been suspended since flyover works are going on.