CHENNAI: A six-member inter-ministerial central team led by Kunal Satyarthi, advisor (policy and plan), National Disaster Management Authority, will be visiting all rain-hit areas on Tuesday and Wednesday to make a spot assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Michaung. On Thursday, they may have a wrap-up meeting with Chief Minister MK Stalin before leaving for New Delhi.
The team will be split into north team and south team. Both will visit most parts of Chennai and parts of Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram. Apart from Kunal Satyarthi, the rest of the five members are from the Union Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Road Transport and Highways, Power, Finance (Expenditure), and Rural Development.
The north team will start its assessment from D’Mellows Road in Zone 6 (Ward 77) and end it in Tiruvotriyur. The other areas this team will be covering on Tuesday include Pattalam, Pulianthope, Stephenson Bridge, Vadaperumbakkam and Manali. On Wednesday, the team will start its inspection from Kilpauk and end it at Ponneri. The other areas to be covered are Villivakkam, Ambattur, Padi, Korattur, Red Hills Lake, Sholavaram Lake and Avadi.
The south team, on Tuesday, will start its assessment from Velacherry (Zone 13 and Ward 176) and end it at Kandigai The other areas to be covered on Tuesday include Madipakkam, Narayanapuram lake, Medavakkam, Perumbakkam, Okkiyammadu and Thaiyur. On Wednesday, the team will start from Tambaram Corporation and end the study at Mugalivakkam. The other areas to be covered include Varadharajapuram, Pillaipakkam, Kundrathur, Nazarethpettai, Mangadu, Poonamallee, Ayapakkam and Thiruverkadu.
Official sources said key departments like highways, transport and agriculture have started assessing the overall damage to public infrastructure and livelihood losses for the general public and workers of MSME industries. This information is likely to be made as a power-point presentation to the team during the wrap-up meeting. The union government will be making financial assistance based on the report of the central team. The state has already sought Rs 5,060 crore as interim relief to undertake immediate relief and restoration work.