Chennai, Nov 15 (BPNS)

AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Panneerselvam has demanded the state government to increase the compensation be hiked to Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of those who died during the floods.

Panneerselvam said that when Cyclone Nivar struck last year when AIADMK led government was in power, the family of the victims was paid Rs 10 lakh each as compensation. He called upon the state government to raise the compensation money to Rs 10 lakh instead of the Rs 4 lakh now announced by the Tamil Nadu revenue minister, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the rain-affected areas of Chennai including the assembly constituencies of Perambur, R.K. Nagar, Egmore, Harbour, and Anna Nagar. The AIADMK leader had continuously visited the rain-affected areas for the third time in a row.

The former  Chief Minister said that the loss of lives has increased during the present Cyclone and deluge due to the slackness in precautionary measures taken by the present DMK government.

The AIADMK leader said that the number of lives lost during Cyclone Nivar, which was much more severe than the depression that lashed Tamil Nadu during the previous days,  was much less when compared to the present loss of lives. While 14 people were reported dead during the present depression and deluge, during Cyclone Nivar in November 2020, 5 people were dead.