3 killed in rain-related incidents in TN; 57,000 hectares of farmland affected, says minister
Chennai (PTI): Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu, Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday.
As many as 149 cattle died and 57,000 hectares of farmland have been affected in the delta districts, the minister for Revenue and Disaster Management said.
"Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since last evening. While two persons died due to wall collapse in Tuticorin and Thanjavur, respectively, a 20-year-old youth died due to electrocution in Mayiladuthurai," he said while briefing reporters at the State Emergency Operations Centre.
Giving a break up of the impact caused to agricultural lands in delta districts, the minister said 24,000 hectares of land were affected in Nagapattinam, 15,000 hectares in Thiruvarur and 8,000 hectares in Mayiladuthurai. "In total, 57,000 hectares of agriculture lands have been submerged due to heavy rainfall," he said.
Responding to a query, he said, nearly 234 huts have been damaged in the delta districts.
Ramachandran said 28 disaster response teams, including SDRF and NDRF, have been kept ready, and an additional 10 more teams have come to Tamil Nadu from other states.
The teams will be sent to take up relief and rehabilitation work in those areas which have been largely affected due to the rainfall, he said.
The minister said through the control room, the government is in constant touch with the district administration of coastal towns and those areas affected by rains.
"Whatever assistance they seek, it will be provided immediately after being brought to the notice of the chief minister (M K Stalin)," he said.
Meanwhile, the weather office said Karaikal in Puducherry received the highest rainfall of 19 cm in the last 24 hours while Sembanarkoil in Mayiladuthurai district recorded 17 cm as of 8.30 am on Sunday.
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Electorate in 9 states, UTs shrink by 1.70 crore after SIR
New Delhi (PTI): Voter base in nine states and Union territories has shrunk by more than 1.70 crore following the publication of final electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to official data.
The data shared by the chief electoral officers of Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa and Kerala on Saturday showed that their combined voter base stood at over 21.45 crore before the SIR exercise began on October 27 last year.
It shrunk to 19.75 crore after publication of their final electoral rolls this week, a net change of over 1.70 crore electors.
While the exercise, which kept the Election Commission in the spotlight, has been completed in Bihar, it is currently underway in 12 states and Union territories covering nearly 60 crore electors.
The remaining 40 crore electors will be covered in 17 states and five Union territories.
In Assam, a "special revision", instead of SIR, was completed on February 10.
Due to a variety of reasons, the SIR in the nine states and three Union territories have seen frequent tweaking in schedules.
As in Bihar, political parties have approached the Supreme Court challenging the exercise in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
