Cyclone Gaja has left a trail of destruction, uprooting 1.7 lakh trees and damaging farmlands (File)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami today, visited districts hit by Cyclone 'Gaja' in the state and distributed relief material among the affected people.
Chief Minister Palaniswami, who announced Rs 1,000 crore for immediate relief and rehabilitation works yesterday, visited affected areas in Pudukottai and Thanjavur districts today morning.
The cyclone crossed the state coast near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district, about 300 km from Chennai, on November 16 claiming 46 lives and leaving a trail of destruction in over ten districts in southern Tamil Nadu with six of them hit severely.
Accompanied by ministers and officials, Chief Minister Palaniswami inspected some coconut groves devastated by the cyclone in Thanjavur district and also distributed relief materials, including rice and other essential articles, to the affected people.
He will later visit Nagapattinam district, which also bore the brunt of the cyclone fury.
On Monday, Chief Minister Palaniswami assessed the situation at a high-level meeting and announced an immediate cash assistance totalling Rs 8,800 to each family sheltered in relief camps in addition to 10 kg rice and four litres of kerosene.
He has also said that compensation would be given to farmers and fishermen.
In a statement, Chief Minister Palaniswami had said that the toll in the cyclone has risen to 46, while a total of 2,51,674 people were staying in relief camps.
He said that Rs 5,000 would be given as immediate livelihood support to each family lodged in cyclone centres, to those who lost their homes and to fishermen who lost their boats.
Rs 3,800 per family would be given for buying clothes and utensils, he said.
In addition, people whose huts were completely damaged will be provided with Rs 10,000 assistance while partially damaged houses will get Rs 4,100.
The state will also seek central funds considering the extent of the damage, he said.
Coconut farmers will get a compensation of Rs 2.64 lakh per hectare while for paddy crops it will be Rs 13,500 per hectare.
On the farm front, 88, 102 hectares of agricultural and horticultural crops had been damaged.
The Chief Minister has also said that compensation ranging from Rs 42,000 to Rs 3 lakh would be given to fishermen depending on the extent of damage to their fishing boats.
Cyclone Gaja, which crossed the coast with a speed of up to 120 kmph has left a trail of destruction, uprooting 1.7 lakh trees and damaging 88,102 hectares of agricultural land.
It caused severe damage in the districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Tiruvarur in the state and Karaikal in Puducherry. The effect of the cyclone was also borne by Dindigul, Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli, Cuddalore, Karur and Theni districts.
Over 1.31 lakh people had been accommodated in relief camps in Nagapattinam district.
Protests were held by residents in parts of Thanjavur and Thiruvarur districts on Monday, demanding early restoration of power and drinking water supply.
Facing criticism over alleged tardy relief measures, the state government has said people should not think that only such protests would solve their problems and asserted it was working to reach out to all.
On Sunday, people in Kotthamangalam village in Puthukottai district had gone on a rampage, setting ablaze government vehicles and clashing with the police, protesting the alleged failure of officials to provide them relief.