Tamil Nadu government to build 1 lakh concrete houses for Gaja victims

Chennai: In a major relief to the cyclone Gaja-hit families, the State government on Wednesday announced to build one lakh concrete houses replacing the huts that were destroyed when the cyclone pounded the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who visited the cyclone-hit Nagapattinam district on Wednesday informed that the State government would construct one lakh concrete houses for those who have lost their hutments in the cyclone-affected areas. Speaking to reporters at Vedaranyam after visiting the Nagapattinam district, he said the people of the district had been severely affected by the calamity. He also assured the government's support for high-tech cultivation of plantations, including coconut.

So far an estimated 1,11,132 houses were damaged in the district and of these 27,896 were fully destroyed, 22,274 were partially damaged and 11,112 pucca houses were also damaged. As far as cattle is concerned, about 20,9998 have perished in the cyclone and they included 10,129 goats, 804 cows, 557 calves and 9,508 chickens. 857 fishing boats were completely damaged and 1,671 boats partially damaged, besides 881 mechanised boats and nine boats were completely damaged, he said.

A total of 2,85,467 people, belonging to 77,319 families were housed in 415 relief camps, where they were being given food, drinking water and clothes, he said. About 13 people, including one child, lost their lives in the district, Mr. Palaniswami said. About 57,460 people have been treated through 1,068 mobile medical camps.

Apart from 2,32,108 trees that were uprooted, 592 transformers were damaged and 341 of them were repaired and started functioning, he added. Stating that the agriculture department has found that coconut trees were uprooted in 3,886 hectares and Paddy crops in 4,000 hectares, he said the horticulture department was also assessing the crops damaged in the district.

The CM who later visited Tiruvarur district, informed that 12 persons had died due to the cyclone in this district and his government had already disbursed a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to three affected families. About 1,05,077 huts were destroyed in this district and this included 51,181 huts that were completely damaged.