All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami on Sunday demanded to double “Michaung” aid relief package to Rs 12,000 to all families from the Tamil Nadu government.
“The government should increase the financial aid from 6,000 to 12,000 rupees and also the government should do relief measures immediately,” said Palaniswami.
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami also accused the current DMK government of being inactive, which brought misery to people following cyclone “Michaung”.
Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin had on Saturday announced a cash aid of Rs 6,000 each to the affected families.
Palaniswami held the DMK government responsible for the “lack of preparedness” to tackle the Cyclone Michaung-induced situation and this has affected people badly.
“People of Chennai, suburban of Chennai and neighbouring districts like Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur struggled in cyclone Michaung and floods caused by it due to inactive DMK government which didn’t take any precautionary measures,” said Palaniswami.
On December 3 and 4, under the influence of Cyclone ‘Michaung,’ Chennai and nearby areas in Chengelpet, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall, resulting in extensive flooding, property damage, and loss of lives.
The Tamil Nadu government has also increased other relief amounts given for the various damages due to the cyclone. The compensation for the families of those who died due to storms and floods has been increased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
The compensation for damaged huts has been increased from Rs 5 thousand to Rs 8 thousand. The compensation for the loss of standing crops has been increased from Rs 13,500 to Rs 17 thousand per hectare.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin held a review meeting with the Chief Secretary and various department secretaries on the current situation and restoration works being done after the cyclone Michaung-induced floods in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, penned an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to declare Cyclone “Michaung” a national disaster.
In his letter, Naidu highlighted that Cyclone Michaung has caused extensive damage to crops, affecting 22 lakh acres with a preliminary estimated loss of Rs 10,000 crore. He emphasized significant losses in livestock, trees, and infrastructure, reporting 770 km of damaged roads and severe impairment to essential facilities like drinking water, irrigation, electricity, and communication.
The agricultural and fishing sectors have borne the brunt of the cyclone, leading to tragic incidents such as four farmers taking their lives due to crop loss. Fishing communities have lost boats, nets, and their livelihoods. Cyclone Michaung, with winds reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h, claimed six lives and disrupted life across 15 districts in Andhra Pradesh, also affecting neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Naidu urged PM Modi to declare Cyclone Michaung a ‘national disaster’ and requested the dispatch of a Government of India team to assess the extent of the damage comprehensively.
Post-Cyclone Unrest in Chennai
Public discontent rises post-cyclone, targeting political figures like Chennai Mayor R. Priya, DMK’s MLA I. Paranthamen, and Congress’ MLA J.M.H. Aassan Maulaana. Expectation Gap Fuels Anger: Residents express shock due to flooding, citing discrepancies between promises about a storm-water project and ground realities. Need for Swift Restoration: Residents seek rapid resumption of services like power and water, leading to agitation when delayed. Political Blame Game: Accusations fly between ruling party members and AIADMK, while officials claim improved crisis handling despite differing community views.
Community-Government Relations: Importance stressed on strong ties between representatives and residents for better crisis management.