Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday rebutted criticisms that the weather updates weren’t accurate and said the state-of-the-art regional meteorological centre had alerted about severe rains in Southern Tamil Nadu way ahead of the downpour.
Talking to presspersons in Delhi, Sitharaman said officially, 31 persons have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in four districts – Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. Heavy rains lashed the southern districts on December 17.
The union minister said, “The four districts received a year’s rainfall in a day. This led to waterlogging and inundation.” Sitharaman said she was made aware of the situation on December 18 itself and she personally met Home Minister Amit Shah, and sought immediate relief support to four districts. She added NDRF personnel were deployed immediately.
The union minister said till December 21, 42,290 persons were rescued by all forces. Sitharaman added helicopters of nine helicopters Indian Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard conducted 70 sorties as part of the rescue efforts. She added while inter-ministerial central teams are generally dispatched to assess damages only after the situation comes under control, a team was sent on December 19 itself to study flood damages.
She brushed away criticisms that weather updates weren’t provided earlier. Sitharaman said the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai has ultra-modern equipment including three dopplers and had forecast on December 12 itself that there would be heavy rainfall in the four districts – Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin on December 17.
On release of relief funds, Sitharaman said Centre has already released Rs 900 crore funds in two instalments to be used in this financial year to Tamil Nadu, she said.
Sitharaman charged while the four districts were severely affected by rains, Chief Minister Stalin was in Delhi to attend INDIA alliance meeting. She also questioned what precautionary measures were taken to handle floods. Sitharaman charged none from the Tamil Nadu government were there in the districts before NDRF teams reached the affected districts.
