Centre releases Rs 450 cr relief

Politics to the fore as PM calls all-party meet on January 9

The Centre has released Rs 450 crore of the Rs 500-crore assistance sanctioned to the tsunami-hit areas. While Rs 250 crore has been released for Tamil Nadu, Rs 100 crore has been given to Andhra Pradesh.

Senior government officials told Business Standard that the Central team, touring the affected areas, is expected to submit its report over the next few days. The Centre will then decide on additional assistance to the states.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also scheduled an all-party meeting on January 9 to take stock of the situation. The meeting is likely to see some fireworks with the BJP today alleging that the relief materials are lying unused at railway stations.

"The Railways ministry has inflexible and impractical procedures for the transportation of relief material by voluntary organisations and political parties," a statement released by the BJP today said.

Opposition leader and BJP President L K Advani has also sent a letter to the Prime Minister in which he has stressed the need for the Army to take charge of providing temporary shelters to the fishing communities in Tamil Nadu.

Reacting to the BJP's charge of red tapism in the railways, the Congress said the BJP was in the process of making the tsunami relief operations a political issue.

"The materials sent by various non-governmental organisations and even the Red Cross is reaching the states," Congress leader Jayanti Natarajan said, implying that the BJP alone was having problems with transporting relief supplies.

As the Congress and the BJP lock horns over procedural delays, in Tamil Nadu the AIADMK administration has been charged with trying to fend the DMK from getting all relief and rehabilitation routed through its party. It has decided to convene an all-party meeting on January 7 to "consult" other parties.

In the affected areas, meanwhile, the situation is limping back to normalcy. While the situation is much improved in Tamil Nadu, in the Andamans power supply was partially restored on Wednesday.

In the main Andaman group, power supply has been restored in 40 per cent of the areas, while in the southern group of islands""the worst affected by the tsunami""relief camps, hospitals, dispensaries and telephone exchanges have been provided with power. In the islands of Nankouri, Kachal and Teressa, power supply will commence tomorrow.

The power ministry is also focusing on repair of the 20 Mw power station at Port Blair, installation of a 2.5 Mw power station and restoration of sub-transmission and distribution systems.

Communication facilities too in the region are returning to normal with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) focusing its efforts in the areas of Car Nicobar, Little Andaman and Great Nicobar. In the first phase, BSNL has already energised Inmarsat terminals for establishing point-to-point connectivity.

Following the inspection of the affected areas by five teams of officers the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways has reported that 160 km length of National Highways, 520 km length of state Roads and about 50 structures have been damaged in the tsunami attack. Besides, the Road Network and bridges in the Andamans and Nicobar islands have also been extensively damaged.

With the Arasalar Bridge on NH-45A near Karaikal in Pondichery and the superstructure of the 160 m-long bridge over Pazhyar river in Tamil Nadu being damaged, temporary bridges have been provided at both locations. The ministry is also taking steps to build permanent bridges at these places.

With the Indian Army transporting all the required equipment by aircraft and helicopters, BSNL has restored the communication infrastructure in Hutbay and Katchal Island. Vsat equipment has also been sent to R K Pur Island for installation.

In Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar, Inmarsat terminals have already been commissioned and have become operational. BSNL teams are also working in Champin and Teressa Islands to restore the communication facilities there. BSNL has also completed restoration of its network in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry.