Four days after cyclone Gaja made landfall in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami ordered the release of Rs 1,000 crore towards relief works in the affected districts.
The announcement came after a detailed meeting with the officials from various departments on Monday in Chennai, according to reports. The chief minister is also scheduled to conduct an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas on Tuesday, according to reports. He has also sanctioned an amount of Rs 5,000 for families that have lost their homes to the cyclone, Rs 3,800 for the purchase of clothes and utensils and Rs 5,000 each for owners of damaged boats.
In a statement released after the meeting, the chief minister also stated that the state government would also press the central government for release of funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund.
The chief minister announced compensation for the cattle that died due to the cyclone at Rs 30,000 for cows and buffaloes, Rs 25,000 for oxen and Rs 15,000 for a calf. Those who had lost their huts completely to the cyclone will get Rs 10,000 and those whose huts were partially damaged would get Rs 4,000, reported The Hindu.
The state government has also announced grants for the districts that have been affected by the cyclone. While Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukkottai districts will receive Rs 5 crore each, Dindigul district will receive Rs 2.5 crore. Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Karur, Tiruchi and Theni district administrations would get Rs 1 crore each.
Cyclone Gaja made landfall in the state in the wee hours of November 16. With the winds blowing at 120 kms per hour, the cyclone caused widespread damage in TN coastal and delta districts. As of Monday, the death toll is 46 and more than 2.5 lakh people have been displaced from their homes and have taken refuge in cyclone shelters.