Over 6,000 people at camps in rain-hit Nilgiris: TN CM

As many as 6,910 people affected by landslides and floods in Nilgiris district have been housed in 67 relief centres and officials tasked to ensure all amenities to them, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said on Wednesday.

Chairing a meet at the Secretariat here to review the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken in Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts due to the recent heavy rains, Palaniswami directed the officials to ensure all amenities, including food and healthcare, for those in the relief camps.

The Chief Minister ordered allocation of Rs 30 crore for immediate relief in Nilgiris to replace 296 fully damaged huts with new solar-powered greenhouses and a relief of Rs 5,000 to each of those who had owned them.

Palaniswami told officials to expeditiously send proposals to the Centre on the funding required for permanent restoration of the damaged infrastructure.

Also, a compensation of Rs 4,100 to dwellers of 1,225 partially damaged huts must be provided, he told officials.

A survey on damage caused to horticultural crops should be completed before August 16 and proposals be sent to the government to provide input subsidy to farmers, he said.

Steps are on a warfooting to fully refurbish 153.34 km of damaged roads, 185 small bridges, 115 electricity poles and 3.5-km long power cables and six transformers, he said in a statement here.

While the kin of five persons killed in rain-related incidents have already been provided a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each, the bereaved family of a man in Nilgiris would also be provided the assistance, he said.

Palaniswami said he has ordered appropriate relief to 11 injured people and cattle.

Hilly Nilgiris and adjacent regions in Coimbatore district bore the burnt of heavy rains between August 6 and 10 and the resultant landslide and floods.

Over 1,500 personnel drawn from the State and National Disaster Response Force, police, army, and departments of Fire and Rescue, Highways, Electricity were deployed for relief work besides requisite equipment to handle the situation.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam inspected the flood-hit areas on Tuesday and distributed relief assistance while top officials and Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar also had visited the spot to speed up rehabilitation work.