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28th December 2004 PRESS STATEMENT OF SELVI J JAYALALITHAA, HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER
The calamity which struck the Tamil Nadu coast on 26.12.2004 was unprecedented in its suddenness and ferocity. It was also widespread in scale affecting villages and towns all along the coastline. A calamity of this nature has never been known. The death toll is enormous and as per the latest count it is 3925. Lakhs of people have been rendered homeless. It has totally damaged the coastal economy throughout Tamil Nadu. Fishermen have been devastated losing their homes, possessions and livelihood. I am grief stricken by the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami (giant tidal wave) following the earthquake on the sea bed off the Indonesian Coast. Immediately on getting details of the calamity on 26.12.2004, I pressed the entire State Government machinery into action to take up search, rescue and relief operations. I contacted the District Administration in each district and ensured that the Police Force, Fire & Rescue Services, Revenue Department, Medical and Health Services and all other associated departments took up the rescue and relief work on a war footing. Despite the total shock and suddenness of the event, with no forewarning whatsoever, the District Administration in all the districts took up the task with utmost commitment and dedication so that search and rescue operations were taken up at once. The Army, Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard fully supported the operations of the District Administration of the Government of Tamil Nadu. This extraordinary effort has enabled relocating all the affected families to safer places and providing them sustenance in relief camps. Simultaneously search and rescue operations were undertaken on a war footing. The dead bodies have mostly been recovered, though a few bodies are still being washed ashore. It is undoubtedly a horrible tragedy and we should all unite in expressing our sympathy and sorrow to the bereaved families. I immediately undertook an aerial survey on 26.12.2004 and I covered the entire stretch from Kodiakkarai to Ennore, North of Chennai. I inspected the devastation caused at Kodiakkarai, Velankanni, Akkaraipettai, Nagapattinam, Nagore as well as Cuddalore, Marakkanam, Kalpakkam, Mamallapuram, Neelankarai, Kottivakkam, Besant Nagar, Srinivasapuram, Pattinapakkam, Marina Beach, Harbour, Kasimedu, Ennore. While on the inspection tour, I once again gave specific instructions to the Collectors of Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. Again on 27.12.2004 after meeting the Union Home Minister Shri Shivraj V.Patil at the Raj Bhavan at Chennai, I proceeded to Kanniyakumari District. I took up an aerial survey of Kanniyakumari, Mandaikadu, Muttam and Colachel. I surveyed the battering caused by the tidal waves. The destruction was severe. At Nagercoil, I consoled the affected families at Kottar and Veppamodu relief centers and the injured at the Asaripallam Medical College Hospital. I reassured them that the Government would provide all the assistance for their rehabilitation to enable them to lead a new life after this tragic calamity. I proceeded to Nagapattinam again on 27.12.2004 where I met the affected families and reassured them of the commitment of the Government of Tamil Nadu to fully rehabilitate them and provide them with a secure new life. I visited the District Hospital at Nagapattinam and enquired about the welfare of the injured persons. I had a meeting with the Collector and the district officials and instructed them to further gear up the relief operations despite the incessant rain. The entire District Administration had ensured that the bodies had been reclaimed and the affected families brought to relief camps. Enroute to Cuddalore I took up the aerial inspection of affected areas at Poraiyar, Parangipettai and Cuddalore. I inspected the devastation caused in this section between Nagapattinam and Cuddalore. At Cuddalore, I met the affected families and assured them that the Government of Tamil Nadu would ensure their full rehabilitation and enable them to lead a new life getting over this tragedy. Throughout I could see that huts and even pucca houses have been flattened, fishing boats have been smashed, buses and even big tankers have been strewn around. The damage is immense and it will take a little while to make a complete assessment of the entire damage. Our immediate focus is to ensure that relief is provided to all the affected families. The District Administration has ensured that all the affected families are provided shelter in relief centres and given food. This arrangement will be continued as long as it is required. Food and adequate shelter will be provided at the relief centres to all those who need it. Families living along the coastline have lost all their possessions. They have to be enabled to make a fresh start to their lives. I have accorded sanction for an immediate relief package to be provided to each affected family. This package will consist of: One set consisting of one dhoti, one saree & two bed sheets;
Collectors have been instructed to provide the relief package as indicated above immediately to all the affected families. I have sanctioned this package at a cost of Rs.29.12 crores as an immediate measure to an estimated initial number of one lakh families, who have been affected. In addition the requirement for temporary restoration of houses is estimated at Rs.20 crores. The families who have been affected by the tidal waves have completely lost their possessions. The Government of Tamil Nadu will provide all the necessities required by them to restart their lives. The package I have announced will enable them to do so. I have received a large number of requests indicating that people want to provide assistance in the form of clothes, food articles, medicines and other daily necessities to enable these families to restart their lives. The tsunami has flattened houses, rendering people homeless. Several donors want to provide material to enable reconstruction of the houses. As I have already said on 26.12.2004 this is such an enormous tragedy that all persons should provide generous assistance to enable the affected families to restart their lives. All such donations of relief materials by donors in Tamil Nadu can be given to the District Collector of their district who will ensure that the materials are transported to reach the Collectors of the affected districts and distributed to the families who have been hit by the calamity. Where donors from outside the State want to provide a general supply leaving it to the State Government to distribute, they can do so to the Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation at Chennai, who will in turn ensure that the materials are distributed under the supervision of the State Relief Commissioner. A Control Room in the office of the State Relief Commissioner with Telephone No. 044-2859 3990 has been established to handle all supplies of relief materials. In view of the enormity of the task I have already indicated that the Government of Tamil Nadu welcomes contributions to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. The relief amount to all the affected families is being provided from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. I once again appeal to all well-meaning and right spirited persons, organisations in India and abroad to contribute generously to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. I have already announced a relief amount of Rs.1 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund to each affected family, where deaths have occurred. In view of the enormity of the tragedy and considering the fact that very poor people have been utterly devastated, I have decided to sanction relief amount at the rate of Rs.1 lakh for each person who died in this calamity. Fishermen have been most severely affected. They have lost their means of livelihood. They have also lost all their possessions. They have to be supported to be able to earn their livelihood at once. I have sanctioned an immediate package of assistance to enable fishermen to be able to go out to sea and earn their livelihood. This package will consist of the following:
This package of assistance at a cost of Rs. 65 crores is to enable fishermen to immediately undertake fishing operations and is based on the immediate assessment made. The assistance will be provided to all those needed based on the detailed assessment, which is underway. The Director of Fisheries will be provided the funds to immediately undertake this task. A separate package for providing outboard motors, mechanized boats which have suffered damages as also trawl nets is being worked out after making a detailed assessment of the requirement. The immediate relief that I have now sanctioned is at a cost of Rs.153.37 crores. The permanent rehabilitation measures including the reconstruction of houses, provision of boats and nets will involve substantial cost amounting to several hundreds of crores. I will announce further packages of assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction after the detailed survey is completed. I have also requested the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Union Home Minister to provide a special package of assistance to Tamil Nadu to undertake the relief and rehabilitation measures in view of the enormity of the tragedy, which has struck Tamil Nadu. J JAYALALITHAA CHIEF MINISTER OF TAMIL NADU Click here for making Online Contribution to Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund [Click here to view Tamil Version] [Tsunami Information Page]
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