A four-member Central team visited Thoothukudi on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by the recent downpour and flooding in the district.
The team, comprising K.P. Singh, Advisor, National Disaster Management Authority; R. Thangamani, Director, Ministry of Jal Shakti; K. Ponnusamy, Director, Department of Agriculture; and S. Vijaykumar, Director of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, visited flood-hit areas along with top officials of the State government.
After holding a discussion with Commissioner for Revenue Administration S.K. Prabhakar, Additional Commissioner G. Prakash, Collector G. Lakshmipathi and Corporation Commissioner C. Dinesh Kumar at the Thoothukudi Corporation office, the team visited State Bank Colony, Natraja Nagar, Athi Parasakthi Nagar, Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital and rural areas.
The affected residents narrated their ordeal and complained of official apathy in some places.
Two members of the Central team inspected the badly damaged Thoothukudi – Tirunelveli four-lane national highway at Antoniyarpuram, the drinking water pumping station for the Thoothukudi Corporation at Keezha Vallanaadu, the Vallanaadu bridge across the Thamirabarani and crop damage at Karunkulam and Srivaikuntam.
The other two members visited Eral, Authoor, Punnaikaayal, Tiruchendur and Kaayalpattinam.
Based on its findings, the team will submit a report to the Union government for sanctioning relief assistance.
Mr. Prakash, who has served as Collector in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, gave a presentation explaining the damage caused by the flood to infrastructure such as Tangedco substations, electric poles, transformers, roads, drinking water facilities and houses.
After taking the Central team to the marooned parts of Thoothukudi and other places by boat, he explained the steps being taken by the official machinery to restore normalcy in the district.
