INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
compensation that would do little to alleviate the people's losses."Three lakh houses have been destroyed, forcing around a million people
The cyclone has affected even the rich, and made the poor even poorer
But the EK Palaniswami government has released a pittance as aid; it will not do anything to raise people to their feet again," said Mr
Haasan.The politician said that his party -- the Makkal Needhi Maiam -- has done its best to help the affected, as have many
non-governmental organisations across the country
"Gaja has already caused many hardships to the people
The government should not add to their hardships by acting indifferently," he added.The Tamil Nadu government has released Rs 1,000 crore as
an interim measure to aid rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and approached the centre for a Rs 14,910-crore relief package
The districts of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Pudukottai suffered the most because of the cyclone, which claimed 63 lives and left
support to the cyclone-hit
The latter, who shares a good rapport with the actor-politician, responded by donating Rs 10 crore as immediate relief.Even the opposition
DMK has alleged that relief work was not being carried out to satisfaction in the Cauvery delta regions ravaged by Cyclone Gaja last week
Party president MK Stalin demanded that the state government convene a meeting of stakeholders from the region to take the relief activites
forward, and asked Mr Palanisami to stay put in the delta region to oversee relief work
