Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120357690600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Minister gives relief to villagers

Special Correspondent

Marooned in Tiruvarur district

relief boat: Dairy Development Minister U. Mathivanan, third from right, and Tiruvarur Collector M. Chandrasekaran (left) proceeding to Odachery village.

TIRUVARUR: Dairy Development Minister U. Mathivanan and Collector M. Chandrasekaran on Tuesday sailed two kms in boats to distribute assistance to 1,800 people marooned in Odachery village in Tiruvarur district.

The residents were stranded for over a week. The Minister and the officials consoled the affected people and distributed Rs. 2,000 each to 30 people whose huts were fully damaged.

The ‘kaattamani’ plants washed away during the heavy downpour were said to have blocked the shutters in the local water source, and this led to floods in the village. The officials motivated the locals to remove the plants on their own which ensured the free flow of water in the channel.

Mr. Mathivanan said special relief teams have been formed and relief would be provided with immediate effect.

Mr. Mathivanan and Mr. Chandrasekaran inspected Kekkarai, Nalukalmandapam, Vanmeekapuram in Tiruvarur block and made enquiries with the people staying in the special camp at Bharath Matriculation School. They made enquiries about the quality of food being supplied.

Chairman of Tiruvarur Municipality K. Thennan and others accompanied them.

The district administration has formed 27 special medical teams to provide treatment to the affected people. These teams will function under the direct supervision of Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Sandeep Saxena.

In a statement, Mr. Chandrasekaran said the medical team was providing 28 medicines supplied by the Corporation for various ailments.

Due to the possibilities of snake bites, anti-venom serum was being carried to villages by the mobile teams. The medical teams have been instructed to reach out to remote areas and marooned spots using boats. Mr. Chandrasekaran appealed to the public to utilise the medical camps to prevent flood-related ailments.

The week-long rainfall had claimed 40 lives in the district. It damaged 126 culverts, 25,000 houses and claimed 180 heads of cattle. The estimate of damage was still under progress. The efforts of the administration in taking relief measures were being complemented by officials nominated by the State Government who are camping in the district.

Committees, under the supervision of revenue department officials, were being formed at the levels of villages and firkas to reach out to the affected people and provide them relief on a war footing, Mr. Chandrasekaran added.