People's Democracy

CYCLONE THANE

Centre must Step up Relief, Rehab Measures

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on January 10, 2012.

REPORTS about cyclone Thane that hit the north eastern coastal districts of Tamilnadu on December 30, 2011 show that there has been large-scale devastation to life and property in Cuddalore district and damage from Nagapattinam to Villipuram districts and in the Union Territory of Puducherry. Paddy crops, cashew plantations and other crops have been destroyed. The damage to the infrastructure is also very heavy, with thousands of electric transformers knocked out. Electricity and water supply have been cut off. Lakhs of houses have been destroyed and more than ten lakh people are staying in camps.

It is not possible to repair the damage and provide adequate rehabilitation without central assistance on a large scale.

The Polit Bureau requests the central government to declare the cyclone affected areas as “calamity hit areas” under the purview of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The central government should immediately take steps to provide funds for the relief and rehabilitation efforts.