Cyclone Michaung: TN Needs Funds for Flood Relief, Livelihood Rehabilitation

Chennai: Normalcy has yet to return to many parts of Chennai and its neighbouring districts following the heavy rains and massive flooding from the Michaung Cyclone last week. Food, clothing, electronics and other everyday essentials in the rainwater. Government agencies, political parties, NGOs, activists and the public are helping the affected people recover from their plight.

Many students in Chennai lost their books, bags, and uniforms in the floods. The state government has announced that it will replace the study materials and postpone examinations till December 13. They were earlier scheduled to commence on Monday.

On Saturday, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced Rs 6,000 as one-time assistance to families whose livelihood was affected due to the rains and subsequent floods. It was initially likely to cover nearly 25 lakh to 30 lakh families in Chennai and parts of the neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu at a cost of more than Rs 1,500 crore to the exchequer. A day later, the state government announced that the relief amount would extend to all ration card-holding families in Chennai.

“People are unhappy with the announced relief. They have lost their income and possessions. So, the compensation should be increased and should be provided to all affected people without imposing any conditions,” said AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to double the cash assistance to Rs 12,000 each to all families affected by Cyclone Michaung in Chennai and its neighbouring districts.

The impact of the floods and the extent of the damage is yet to be thoroughly analysed and recorded. The state government tentatively arrived at a figure of Rs 5,060 crore worth of damages, and CM Stalin sought the same from the Centre.

However, the central government has allocated only Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu’s State Disaster Relief Fund. Stalin said the Union government has also sanctioned Rs 500 crore for urban flood management activities in Chennai. This amount is not even close to the funds required for the extent of the relief work underway.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K S Alagiri on Sunday accused the Centre of trying to project an already-sanctioned fund of Rs 450 crore towards flood mitigation projects as having been sanctioned after surveying the impact of cyclone Michaung. Tamil Nadu experienced a rainfall unprecedented in 70 years, but we haven’t received financial assistance of even one paisa,” he contended.

While the public, celebrities, political parties, and corporations have come forward to donate large sums of money to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, it does not add up to the amount required.

A six-member Central Committee, headed by Kunal Satyarthi, Advisor, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), on Tuesday held a consultation meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, at the Chennai Secretariat. The state is hoping that the Centre will release funds after the committee files its report.

OIL SPILL AT ENNORE

Oil spill from a nearby refinery, which was reportedly let into the flood water, has now spread to about 20 square kilometres and has wrecked the lives of fisherfolk in Ennore and Ernavoor.

Hundreds of fish, prawns, and crabs have been found dead in the Kosasthalaiyar River due to the impact of oil mixing with flood water on December 4 and 5 when extremely heavy rains drenched Chennai. This indicates that the breeding ground of fish is affected and has thrown the life of the fisherfolk out of gear; they have not gone fishing for a week now.

Fishing boats and nets have been damaged by the sludge. Ennore and Ernavoor residents are also complaining of health concerns; they are facing skin irritation, and the smell emanating from the oil is causing headaches. An estimated livelihood impact of the oil spill on the fisher families is underway.

The spillage happened from the premises of the CPCL, entered the Buckingham canal and stormwater drains, and reached Ennore Creek.

The affected people have yet to receive any assistance from the state government or the CPCL. The Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, J Radhakrishnan, visited some of the oil-soiled regions on Monday.

WASTE COLLECTION WORK

CM M K Stalin distributed cash incentives and certificates of appreciation to sanitation workers for their work after Cyclone Michaung caused havoc in Chennai city.

In an event held by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department at the Ripon Building on Tuesday, December 12, 3,449 sanitation workers who were brought in from other districts of Tamil Nadu to carry out flood relief work in Chennai were given Rs 4,000 cash each along with a gift hamper. 

From December 6 to 9, the civic body collected 28,563 tonnes of waste, including 25,113 tonnes of garbage and 3,449 tonnes of garden waste. Nearly 23,000 persons have been working round-the-clock to clean up the city post-cyclone, said GCC Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan