Tamil Nadu floods: Protests galore in deluge-hit areas as relief reaches late

Chennai: Two days after Cyclone Fengal devastated their lives, people’s patience turned into anger with villagers in Villupuram district venting their anger against lawmakers for failing to ensure that food and essentials reached them in their marooned localities.

Tuesday also saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialing Chief Minister M K Stalin for a briefing on the flood situation in Tamil Nadu and the DMK dispensation announcing Rs 2,000 relief for families affected due to floods in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi districts. 

Forest Minister K Ponmudy and senior district officials faced people’s wrath when they visited Arasur and Iruvelpattu, two of the worst-affected villages due to extremely heavy rains unleashed by the slow-moving Cyclone Fengal.

Mud was thrown at Ponmudy, his son and former MP Gautam Sigamani, and district collector C Palani after the minister began listening to people’s grievances without alighting from his car. 

People who were already agitated over help not reaching them on time – their villages were marooned for two days due to unprecedented rains and flooding due to overflowing of Thenpennai River – became restless after the minister did not get out of his car. After people threw mud at him, Ponmudy left the area, prompting Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai to take to social media to “highlight” people’s anger against the DMK government.

However, the ruling DMK termed the attack as “politically motivated” and asserted that the government’s work towards restoring normalcy in the flood-affected district will continue. 

The government also came under all-round attack for releasing water from Sathanur dam without “prior warning and announcement” to people living in low-lying areas in Tiruvannamalai district. However, the government said it gave four warnings before releasing water from the dam as it was overflowing due to record inflow. 

People gheraoed lawmakers and officials in several places against the delay in getting help for them following the heavy rains. Several localities in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, and Krishnagiri districts registered “once in a life time” rainfall, inundating tens of villages and towns. 

In Ayenampalayam village, a group of Dalit residents held a protest demanding food, water, and a temporary place to stay, after they were allegedly sent out of a marriage hall where they were lodged. The ruling DMK MLA from Vikravandi, Anniyur Siva, was gheraoed by the people, who demanded that the government listen to their concerns.

Officials and rescue personnel worked day and night to pump out water from low-lying areas and move people to safety, even as the delay perturbed people, prompting them to hold impromptu protests.

Modi spoke to Stalin over the phone and assured all necessary assistance from the Union government to Tamil Nadu for handling the flood situation. 

Stalin announced a relief of Rs 2,000 to ration card holders whose livelihoods have been affected due to heavy rains in Villupuram, Cuddalore and Kallakurichi districts, while a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who died due to the cyclonic storm. He also announced a compensation of Rs 10,000 for damaged huts, Rs 17,000 per hectare for standing crops with 33 per cent damage.