After receiving flak from Opposition parties and public for not visiting Cyclone Gaja-hit coastal districts, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday visited Pudukottai and Thanjavur. He said he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him on the severe and extensive damages caused by the cyclone in the state.
After receiving flak from Opposition parties and public for not visiting Cyclone Gaja-hit coastal districts, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday visited Pudukottai and Thanjavur. He said he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to brief him on the severe and extensive damages caused by the cyclone in the state.
Cyclone Gaja, which crossed the state's coast on Friday, claimed 45 lives, leaving a trail of destruction, uprooting over 40 lakh coconut trees and damaging 88,102 hectare of agricultural land in seven districts.
Several remote villages in the affected districts remain cut off with the uprooted trees blocking traffic. With heavy damages to power infrastructure, there was no power supply for the fifth day in a row in Nagapattinam, parts of Pudukottai, and Thanjavur.
Palaniswami's visit to the cyclone-affected districts was cut short by heavy rains in Nagapattinam, the worst affected district, and Tiruvarur. Earlier, he visited Pudukottai and Thanjavur districts and distributed relief material and financial assistance to the affected people.
"We are hopeful of getting an appointment with the Prime Minister by day-after-tomorrow. We will present the memorandum on extensive damages caused by the cyclone with proof," Palaniswami told media persons.
Stating that the government has taken up the relief work on war-footing, he urged the public to cooperate with the officials and not stage protests since it affects relief work. "We are committed to providing relief to all the affected people. No one will be left out," he said.
The Chief Minister also asked the Opposition parties to learn from the political parties in Kerala. "During the Kerala floods, the ruling party and the Opposition parties carried out the relief works jointly. Similarly, we should keep our political differences aside while carrying out relief work," he said.
Responding to Palaniswami's criticism, DMK working president MK Stalin said that he would not respond to the CM's charges. "The CM should have visited the affected areas immediately. But he chose to stay in his native and take part in government events…Instead of questioning the Opposition parties, Palaniswami should answer why he was hesitant about meeting the affected people?" he said.
Palaniswami visited the cyclone hit areas on Tuesday after postponing his visit on Sunday citing prior official events like the inauguration of a bridge and government buildings in his native Salem district and neighbouring Namakkal district.
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