AIADMK demands To Declare Flash Flood As National Calamity
02 December, New Delhi
As Chennai crumbled under untimely excessive rains, the AIADMK Wednesday demanded that flash floods in the southern state be declared a ‘national calamity’.
Members of the Lok Sabha expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation caused by the floods in Tamil Nadu.
Initiating a debate under Article 193 on excessive rains in Tamil Nadu and other states, AIADMK Member T G Venkatesh Babu said heavy rains have caused large scale damage to the dwellings across the state and more than 169 people lost their lives.
He also urged the Centre to release Rs 8480.93 crore for relief and rehabilitation under National Disaster Relief Fund.
He said the unprecedented floods caused by the excessive rains for nearly a week have thrown the city of Chennai out of gear.
Babu informed that state government has undertaken relief and rehabilitation work on a war-footing and the scale of damage was being ascertained.
He said in the worst-affected four districts of the state, more than 14.65 lakh dwellings were damaged by the flash floods caused by incessant rains.
The state government distributed more than 21 lakh food packets to the people who were affected by the rains.
Four SDRF, 12 NDRF and two columns of Navy and six helicopters were pressed into service for rescue operations.
Babu said due to timely intervention of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, rescue operations were carried out very smoothly.
Echoing similar sentiment Bhartruhari Mahtab of BJD applauded Ms Jayalalithaa for handling of the flood situation and said other states should take cue from Tamil Nadu in handling disaster management.
Mahtab said he himself was confined for two days in a Chennai hotel during the rains and has first hand experience of the scale of disaster brought by the flash floods.
He said Ms Jayalalithaa handled the situation very aptly and asked all her party members to be with the people.
“Government gave a sense of security that we are with you”, he said.
Referring to the ‘Phalin’ cyclone which had hit Odisha a few years back, he said due to timely intervention, 10 lakh people were evacuated before the storm could hit the coastal areas.
Sudip Bandyopadhyay of Trinamool Congress urged the Centre to provide all possible financial help to Tamil Nadu and said few districts of West Bengal have also been affected by the untimely floods.He said West Bengal was suffering from both drought and flood and the Centre should quickly release the fund for rehabilitation of victims.