Stating that the grimness of the situation due to Thane hadn’t reached the chief minister, film director Thangar Bachan has stressed that she should visit Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts soon to get the real picture of the affected areas.
He said, “We always measure the severity of a disaster by the number of lives lost. Even if the fatalities caused by Thane is 40 as of now, it will increase by a large number if imperative measures are not taken,” he said. The director, who is known to voice his concern on social issues, said he visited his native town, Panruti, after the storm ravaged a few districts. He said he stayed there for two days. “There was no electricity, no water and no food. Officials have said it will take about two or three months to set everything right, whereas, in reality, it might even take more than six months,” he said. He also added that he couldn’t travel much.
Thangar Bachan, who is known for movies like Azhagi and Onbathu Rubai Noteu, also said that the government should initiate a series of welfare measures like compensation for farmers, introduction of alternative agriculture practices and employment for youth. He added that there should be a separate committee to monitor the rehabilitation measures.