Union Government declares Cyclone Fengal a disaster of serious nature

The Union Government has declared that Cyclone Fengal, which hit Tamil Nadu in December last year, was considered a disaster of “serious nature”. The state government had urged the Union government to declare the cyclonic storm as a “disaster of severe nature” on December 27.

A communication sent by the Union Home Ministry to the Tamil Nadu government reportedly stated that it considered Cyclone Fengal as a disaster of serious nature for all practical purposes due to its intensity and magnitude. “In the event of a disaster of serious nature, financial assistance for notified natural disasters, including cyclone, is met from the State Disaster Response Fund already made available to them (of the state government), which is further supplemented by the National Disaster Response Fund. in accordance with the established procedure, which includes an evaluation based on the visit of a central inter-ministerial team,” the statement added.

The state government had requested a substantial financial package of over Rs 6,000 crore from the Union government to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure in the cyclone-affected areas. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh was also announced for the families of those who lost their lives due to the cyclone. Residents of the worst-affected districts (Villupuram, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore) were promised Rs 2,000 each as immediate financial assistance.

Other relief measures announced by the Tamil Nadu government include financial assistance of Rs 2,000 for ration card holders whose livelihoods have been affected in Villupuram, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts.

Crop compensation includes Rs 17,000 per hectare for irrigated crops (including rice) damaged by 33 percent or more, Rs 22,500 per hectare for perennial crops and trees with damage greater than 33 percent; compensation of Rs 8,500 per hectare for rainfed crops damaged by 33 percent or more.

The state government has assessed compensation of Rs 37,500 for each lost buffalo or cow; 4,000 rupees for each lost goat or sheep and 100 rupees for each lost chicken.

An amount of Rs 10,000 will be provided as compensation for mud huts damaged by floods.

Chief Minister MK Stalin, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had sought an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and additional financial assistance based on the findings of the central assessment team. It highlighted the widespread devastation caused by the cyclone, which brought torrential rains and strong winds across the state.

It may be noted that during the rains followed by Cyclone Fengal, 12 people died and 2,11,139 hectares of agricultural and horticultural lands were flooded.

The cyclone destroyed 1,649 kilometers of electrical conductors, 23,664 electrical poles and 997 transformers. It also caused damage to 9,576 kilometers of roads, 1,847 sewers and 417 tanks.

Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts experienced more than 50 cm of rain in a single day, equivalent to an entire season’s average, causing severe flooding.

The cyclone affected 69 lakh families and displaced 1.5 million people. The state government’s initial assessment estimates that Rs 2,475 crore will be needed for temporary restoration efforts.

(With inputs from IANS)