Mr. M Karunanidhi, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, owing to opposition pressure, has increased the compensation for families of those who have lost lives in the recent rains in the state from Rs 1 lakh to 2 lakh. Mr. Karunanidhi said those who received Rs 1 lakh earlier as compensation would get an additional Rs 1 lakh.

The decision was taken during a meeting with the collectors of 12 flood-hit districts at the secretariat. To further boost the rehabilitation process, the chief minister asked the officials to immediately start distributing free dhotis and shirts to all members of the affected families in flood-hit districts from Monday and not wait until the usual launch date during the Pongal festival. He also ordered the distribution of free text books and uniforms to school-going children in flood-hit houses.

The collectors were asked to personally supervise to ensure quality in desilting works in rivers, tanks and lakes. The chief minister also set December 10 as the deadline for releasing the compensation. The government has also shifted the responsibility of issuing cattle relief, from the district collectors to revenue divisional officers.

The chief minister said the collectors should ensure that the entire bureaucracy was on the job in the affected coastal districts, not just to convince the visiting Central team but also to provide solace to the grieving masses. Collectors have the duty to lead from the front by inspecting ongoing repair works in every field, tank and roads.

However, the Centre had not released even 15% of the relief compensation sought by the state in the past two floods. Karunanidhi urged the bureaucracy to show the Central team the full extent and nature of the damage caused by cyclone Nisha in the state.