CHENNAI : Agreeing that cyclone Gaja had indeed caused severe damage to the State infrastructure, agriculture and horticulture crops etc. and the loss of lives, the Central team on Tuesday promised to submit its report soon. “We are going back with an assessment of what we have seen. The report will be submitted for consideration by the appropriate committees in the government,” Daniel E Richard, Joint Secretary, Union Home Affairs, who led the team, told reporters after completing a wrap-up meeting with CM Edappadi K Palaniswami.“The State government took all precautionary measures and we appreciate that due to these measures, precious lives were saved.
However, the damage to infrastructure, electricity poles, bridges, roads, and houses was severe. The cyclone had flattened out everything that had come in its way. The intent and action of the government is to bring about relief and support to the affected and it is doing everything at its disposal to bring a sense of relief and reparation in the lives of the people,” Richard added.
He recalled the team visited Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai and took into account the reports about the damages in Dindigul district where it could not visit due to shortage of time. “During our visits, we have seen the pain of the people, the loss of lives, the loss of coconut, banana, mango and jackfruit trees and losses to the boats,” he recalled.