Sun shines, Chennai limps back to normalcy

Chennai: As the sun shone bright, flood-battered Chennai and its suburbs were Monday fast on course to normalcy with train and air services resuming after days of disruption due to unprecedented rains. Waters have receded from most areas of the city ravaged by floods and the authorities have scrambled nearly 25,000 sanitary workers to clear the stinking garbage accumulated over the past several days to prevent outbreak of diseases. 

 

Meanwhile, days after DMK chief M. Karunanidhi criticised her over flood assistance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Monday announced a comprehensive relief package for the flood-hit, including 10,000 houses, a dole between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 as well as compensation for loss of crops and poultry for farmers. A financial assistance of Rs 10,000 for those who lost their huts, allocation of 10,000 tenements besides an aid of '5,000 will be provided to families hit by the deluge, she said.

 

In Karaikal, Chief Minister N. Rengasamy said the Puducherry government would seek Rs 200 crore Central assistance for relief and rehabilitation as the Union territory has suffered extensive damage in the incessant rains and floods in the past three weeks. Relief work was being undertaken on a war footing and officials were preparing a flood damage assessment report which would soon be submitted to the Central government, he said. Earlier, the CM visited several relief camps  and interacted with the affected people.