Date:13/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121358230300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Stalin disburses relief

Staff Reporter

comfort: Local Administration Minister M. K. Stalin, giving away a cheque to the bereaved family member of a fisherman, in Pudukottai on Friday.

PUDUKOTTAI: The Local Administration Minister M. K. Stalin disbursed cash relief of Rs.2 lakh to each of the bereaved families of four fishermen of Jagathapattinam, at the Collectorate here on Friday.

Each family of four fishermen, who died after being caught in the currents during the torrential showers last month, got the cheque for Rs.2 lakh sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.

These fishermen had ventured to sea in search of three fishermen reported missing last month who had, however, returned home. The bodies of two fishermen were washed ashore at Rameswaram and Pamban early this month while those of other two fishermen were yet to be traced.

The Minister gave away the cheques in the presence of Collector Reeta Harish Thakkar. Mr. Stalin also gave away Rs. 2 lakh to the parents of a one-year old child who drowned in a ditch near a hand-pump in Thuvar village in Gandarvakottai last month.

Later, addressing the presspersons, Mr. Stalin said that the relief to all the affected families in the state would be disbursed before December 15. He termed the agitation launched by the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India – Marxist as ‘a fight with political motive’.

Mr. Stalin inspected the construction of houses at Samathuvapuram in Pudupatti village near Gandarvakottai at an outlay of Rs.1.62 crore.