The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday saw an appeal for an interim central assistance of Rs 5,000 crores to provide relief to people of Tamil Nadu affected by heavy rains. Other issues like missing women, suicide by youth in coaching institutes and sale of millets through public distribution system also figured in the house.
Seeking an interim assistance of Rs 5,000 crore for Tamil Nadu to rebuild infrastructure damaged by incessant rains in Chennai and some other districts, DMK leader T Siva said heavy rains due to severe Cyclone Michaung have submerged Chennai and other districts.
At least nine people, including a child, were killed in the flooding and the havoc caused hours before the cyclone was due to make landfall. Cars were swept and airport operations shut down as the streets of Chennai got inundated.
“Roads have become rivers because of non-stop running waters and rivers have become like seas... All the water bodies are overflowing. Many tanks have been breached,” he said.
Informing the Rajya Sabha that roads have been badly damaged due to the fury of nature, Siva said essential supplies have been hampered.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and the entire Cabinet, municipal corporation officials, fire department, sanitation workers, doctors, rescue teams and electricity department have been working on a war footing to rescue people and provide relief material.
As a precautionary measure, electricity supply was suspended, Siva said.
He said while the state government is doing everything in its means, the damage to infrastructure is so huge that it cannot be repaired at the earliest. “The state government has requested an interim relief of Rs 5,000 crore.”
“I urge the Union government (that) considering the condition of Tamil Nadu and five districts, kindly release Rs 5,000 crore as initial interim relief which would help the State government in their efforts to safeguard the people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Drawing the attention of the Upper House to missing women, Fauzia Khan(NCP)said it was matter of grave concern. She called for a sustained awareness campaign to address the issue and likely reason for it was trafficking by organized groups.
Sushil Kumar Modi(BJP)drew the attention of the Elders to suicides in institutes of higher learning and said 26 such incidents were reported from Kota this year.
He called for appointment of counselors to interact with students facing pressure and sought review of syllabus of institutes of higher learning.
Highlighting the benefits of millets as these crops required little water for cultivation, Ajay Pratap Singh(BJP)favoured sale of millets through public distribution system as it will benefit farmers.