The first consultative meeting of the expert committee set up to continuously monitor the impacts that may arise in Tamil Nadu due to El Niño and to advise on the precautionary measures to be taken was held in Chennai on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan.
The committee, constituted as per the instructions of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, has been functioning under the தலைமையில் of Additional Chief Secretary and State Relief Commissioner N. Muruganantham. At the meeting, it was stated that the southwest monsoon rainfall this year has been 16.68 percent lower than usual, and that rainfall below normal has been recorded in 24 districts.
It was stated that rainfall has decreased by more than 60 percent in the districts of Chengalpattu, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, and Namakkal, and that the water level in the state’s dams is also only 31 percent, instead of the usual 85 percent.
It was further stated that the Chief Minister had already ordered the allocation of Rs. 330 crore to avoid drinking water shortages, improve water resources, and supply drinking water by tanker trucks, and Rs. 10 crore for the Animal Husbandry, Dairy, Fisheries, and Fishermen Welfare Department, totaling Rs. 340 crore.
It was stated at the meeting that precautionary measures are being taken so that there is no drinking water shortage and no shortage of fodder for livestock due to drought, while department-wise proposals for this have been sent to the government.
