Severe cyclonic storm 'Gaja' makes landfall in Tamil Nadu
Nagapattinam/Chennai (TN), Nov 16 : Rain lashed coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as the severe cyclonic storm 'Gaja' crossed the state's coast between Nagapattinam and nearby Vedaranniyam early Friday with wind speed gusting up to 120 kmph.
As the cyclone's landfall began, coastal towns including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi and Pamban in Tamil Nadu and Karaikkal and Puducherry received rainfall ranging between 3 cm and 8 cm.
Cuddalore received 8 cm, Nagapattinam 5 cm and neighbouring Puducherry and Karaikkal 5 cm each up to 5.30 am Friday, according to a MeT official in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority said those in the relief centres went up to 81,948 in 471 relief centres at , Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Tiruvarur from 76,290 people who were evacuated from low lying areas.
According to Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, as many as 81,948 people were evacuated from low lying areas and sheltered in 471 relief centres in six districts Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram and Tiruvarur.
A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in Nagapattinam district.
An India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin said, "severe cyclonic storm 'Gaja' crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam ...with wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph, early Friday."
Though the center of cyclone entered land early Friday, it took about two hours more for the rear sector of eye wall to enter the land region.
"Entire eye wall region lies over land. Maximum wind speed was reported at Athiramapattinam 117 kmph followed by Nagapattinam 100 kmph and Karaikkal 83 kmph," the latest bulletin said.
The severe cyclonic storm is very likely to move nearly westwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm Friday.
Due to heavy wind during the cyclone's landfall, trees, high mast lamps and some power poles in locations including Vedaranyam, Mannargudi, Irulneeki at Tiruvarur District got uprooted. Uprooted trees have fallen on the roads which are being removed by civic workers.
Electricity supply was disconnected here and in several other coastal regions in view of the cyclone's landfall, officials said. Revenue Minister R B Udaya Kumar told reporters that the government has tackled the cyclone situation successfully.
"This was a challenging task...we are confident that we have faced it safely 100 per cent" he said, adding all post-cyclone tasks like cleaning up storm affected areas has begun.
The government has got inputs of damage to houses and other properties and the extent of damage will be evaluated, he said.
Four teams each of National Disaster Response Force personnel have been already deployed in Nagapattinam district while two teams of the state disaster response force in Cuddalore district, officials had said Thursday.
The state disaster management authority had released an animated video aimed at creating awareness on the do's and don'ts during cyclone.
The government had also announced helpline numbers 1070 (state-level) and 1077 (districts) for those who may need assistance.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
