Centre sends 17 tonnes of snacks, 5,000 litres milk to TN

Reaching out to the marooned in Chennai and adjoining areas, the Centre today dispatched 17 tonnes of snacks, including noodles and biscuits, 5,000 litres of milk and 1 lakh bottles of drinking water as essential relief items. The decision was taken during a meeting here of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, to review the reeling flood situation in Tamil Nadu. It was also decided to send 5 more columns of the army for the task in addition to the 9 existing units in the state. A column of the army has about 75 troops. "It was decided at the meeting that ready to eat food and water bottles may be supplied based on the requirement of state government. 7 tonnes of biscuits, 10 tonnes of noodles and 5,000 litres of milk are being made available and 1 lakh water bottles have already been made available to the Municipal Corporation in Chennai," an official statement said.

It said Sinha directed authorities to restore telecom and power services with "utmost priority" in the state. The top bureaucrat of the government also directed authorities that adequate supply of petroleum products at terminals and retail outlets may be ensured in Tamil Nadu. "Advance action may be taken to address the possibility of any diseases. Coordination meetings at state and central level be held with telecom providers to ensure quick restoration of telecom services. Necessary steps for speedy restoration of Chennai Airport be undertaken," the meeting decided.