PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry government has sought Rs 600 crores in interim relief from the Central Government to address extensive damages caused by Cyclone Fengal and subsequent floods triggered by the release of water from the Sathanur and Veedur dams.
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy submitted a detailed memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outlining the severe impact of the disaster.
According to the memorandum, Cyclone Fengal, which struck between December 1 and 4, 2024, caused widespread devastation. The Union Territory reported four casualties, damage to 4,637 houses, and significant destruction of public infrastructure, including 52 school and college buildings, 1,596 electric poles, 53 transformers, and LT power lines.
Agricultural losses spanned across 8,157 hectares, while approximately 500 trees were uprooted. Additionally, the disaster resulted in the loss of livestock, including six milch animals, 10 sheep/goats, 30 calves, and 5,000 poultry.
The livelihoods of 14,315 fishermen were severely affected, with 976 fishing boats damaged. Furthermore, vital roads, irrigation systems, and medical equipment sustained considerable damage. Heavy rainfall during the disaster period, recorded at 48.4 cm in Puducherry, 7.36 cm in Karaikal, and 8.14 cm in Yanam, inundated approximately 1.5 lakh houses.
The tentative cost of damages has been estimated at Rs 6,148.81 crores, though some assessments were restricted to State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) norms, suggesting the actual cost might be higher.
The Chief Minister emphasized the urgency of immediate financial assistance to facilitate relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Key priorities outlined in the memorandum include desilting drainage canals to prevent future inundation and repairing damaged roads in rural and urban areas. An estimated Rs 427 crore is required for road restoration, and an additional Rs 177 crore is needed to provide Rs 5,000 as direct benefit transfers to affected ration cardholders.
The Chief Minister urged the Central Government to deploy a team to assess the damages and release funds promptly to support recovery efforts. He stressed the need for immediate action, citing the heavy toll on the region’s working population and infrastructure.