N Rangasamy seeks interim financial assistance of Rs 100 crore from govt

PUDUCHERRY: With Puducherry and its suburbs being battered by rains, Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday sought immediate interim financial assistance of Rs 100 crore from the Centre, to take up relief works.

After visiting rain-hit areas in and around Puducherry, Rangasamy said "the union territory is being pounded by unprecedented torrential rains. We have spared no steps to ensure that rain water that had marooned several housing colonies in and around Puducherry was pumped out."

In a release, Rangasamy said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh,urging them to release immediately an interim relief of Rs 100 crore to Puducherry to manage the situation arising out of the current rains.

Rangasamy said he had also pleaded with them to release Rs 70 crore that was due under the relief decided for Puducherry when it was hit by 'cyclone Thane' some years ago.

The chief minister said he had already earlier submitted a report to the Prime Minister with identical communication to the Home Minister pleading for release of around Rs 183 crore to take up relief works.

Medical teams have been pressed into service to take care of the people hit by rains, he said.

A Central team had already visited Puducherry for assessment of the damage.

Several areas have been inundated and the administration has embarked on pumping out the water from low lying areas besides distributing food packets to people hit by rains.

Puducherry, which was pounded by rains since last night, recorded 15.2 cm rain in the last 24 hours ending 08:30 hours on Tuesday.