Marakkanam (Tamil Nadu): BJP president of Tamil Nadu, K. Annamalai, visited the Marakkanam salt pans which were flooded due the Cyclone Fengal. The BJP president inspected the plains, meeting the salt pan workers and listened to their complaints.
Marakkanam is a high salt cultivating ground in Tamil Nadu and close to 80% of salt of the salt bed was washed in the floods. Speaking to ANI Annamalai said, "We are speaking in the Marakkanam area, the place where high cultivation of salt happens. Close to 80% of this salt bed is washed away and close to 5,000 people are losing their employment opportunity".
Many of the areas in Tamil Nadu are susceptible to floods as was the case with Chennai which was hit by floods in 2015. Annamalai, speaking to ANI claimed, "We all know, every year there is a very increasing nature of damage that is happening to Tamil Nadu. Last year was more on Chennai and the outskirts and this year more on the Coastal belt, Delta belt, right up to Nagapatnam."
The BJP state president also took a jibe at the government of Tamil Nadu for overlooking demands of proper desilting work, "Every year we keep urging the Govt of Tamil Nadu to do proper desilting work but they don't do it...Govt of Tamil Nadu is not at all investing in desilting...No preparation work has happened, only the blame game is happening..."
Cyclone Fengal made landfall in Tamil Nadu between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Saturday causing widespread disturbance in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Schools have been closed on Tuesday in 4 districts including Nilgiris, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Puducherry.
Chief Minsiter MK Stalin on Monday said that the Cyclone Fengal has wreaked havoc across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu inundating 2,11 Lakhs hectares of farmland. The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to release Rs 2000 Crore from the NDRF.
"CycloneFengal has wreaked unprecedented havoc across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu, affecting 1.5 crore people, inundating 2.11 lakh hectares of farmland, and damaging critical infrastructure. Given the magnitude of destruction, I urge Hon'ble @PMOIndia Thiru. @NarendraModi to release Rs2000 crore from the
NDRF immediately to aid emergency restoration and rehabilitation efforts." (ANI)