CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Friday donated his one-month salary to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund (CMPRF) to gather financial resources for the relief, restoration, and rehabilitation works to be done in the districts affected by the heavy rains caused by the cyclonic storm.
Stalin also appealed to the MPs and MLAs to donate their one-month salary towards this fund and requested people from all walks of life to donate generously.
The CM, in a statement here, said in the history of the state in the past 47 years, Chennai and its neighboring districts received torrential rains between December 2 and 4, and due to this natural disaster, more than one crore people have been affected. "It is not a disaster not only for Chennai and its surrounding districts but for the entire state," he added.
The CM also said a huge calamity was averted due to the preplanned works carried out for stormwater drains. Besides, all government departments were kept ready to face any eventuality, and people were safeguarded.
Due to the relief works on a war footing, normalcy has returned to most of the places affected by the rains. In certain areas, relief works are going on. "In this extraordinary situation, all sections of the society have to stand with the government in the relief works," he added.
Thanking those who have already donated to the CMPRF to recover from the impact of cyclonic storm Michaung, he said every section of the society should contribute to the extent possible to the efforts of the government.
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, on Tuesday, handed over a cheque for Rs. Three crore towards relief and restoration works in flood-affected areas, to Chief Minister MK Stalin at the Secretariat.
WHATSAPP FOR RELIEF MATERIALS
Meanwhile, the state government has announced a WhatsApp number 7397766651 to the NGOs who wish to provide relief materials to the people affected by the rains.
A team of IAS officers has been formed to coordinate and send the relief materials received from various sources to the affected people.