Date:26/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/26/stories/2007062655720300.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

Relief work to be intensified

Staff Reporter

Sudhakaran, Isaac attend review meeting

Rs.50,000 to be given to the kin of those who died
7 chikungunya cases confirmed over the past three days

ALAPPUZHA: A review meeting on the relief work in inundated areas of the district, held at the District Collectorate here on Monday, has called for intensifying relief operations in areas like Veliyanad, Muttar and Thakazhi, which were partially submerged after last week’s rains.

The meeting, which was attended by Coir and Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran and Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, also decided to disburse Rs.15,000 each for those whose houses were destroyed in the rains. The amount for partially damaged houses will be decided after individual assessments.

A sum of Rs.50,000 will be given to the kin of those who died in the calamity, District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan said.

All schools in the Veliyanad and Thakazhi panchayats will remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as well, on account of the rising water levels.

Minister Thomas Isaac has suggested that district officials, along with local self-governing bodies, prepare a detailed water-flow network map for low lying areas, so that free flow of rainwater through those networks could be facilitated to avoid regular floods in such areas. The modalities of this network map will be finalised later, officials said.

Meanwhile, 1,368 fresh fever cases were reported in the district on Monday.

There were seven newly confirmed chikungunya cases over the last three days, taking the total number of confirmed chikungunya cases in the district to 45.

Nine more suspected cases of the disease were reported on Monday, DMO N.N. Murali said.