Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday promised to carry out a 360-degree SWOT framework analysis of the actual devastation caused by Cyclone Tauktae in the Konkan region of the state, while also assuring immediate and adequate compensation for those adversely affected in this regard.
“Let the panchnama be completed first,” Thackeray said at a review meeting today in Ratnagiri following a day-long tour of the cyclone-hit regions in Ratnagiri and Sindhdurg districts — including Rajapur and Ratnigiri talukas which bore the severe brunt of the cyclone’s fury.
The meeting included Ratnagiri district guardian minister advocate Anil Parab, minister for relief and rehabilitation Vijay Waddetiwar and guardian minister of neighbouring Sindhudurg district as well as minister for higher and technical education Uday Samant.
Viewing the massive cyclonic damage and huge losses sustained by farmers in their mango, cashewnut and coconut tree plantations, the Chief Minister instructed the relief and rehabilitation department officials to provide relevant compensation after conducting a thorough and professional assessment of the damage.
District collector Laxminarayan Mishra highlighted the cyclonic devastation in the region that claimed the lives of two people, injured eight others and also killed eight cattle. The cyclonic gales and rain caused total destruction of 17 houses, damaged 6,766 dwellings and cowsheds, besides uprooting 1042 trees. Also, 59 commercial establishments and 56 schools were damaged by the cyclone.
Fruit orchards suffered devastation on a large scale in the region due to the cyclone with preliminary estimates identifying a total loss of such plantations on 2500 hectares of land owned by 1100 farmers. The process of conducting the ‘panchnama’ recording specific details of individual losses suffered by farmers was completed in respect of 3430 agriculturists already comprising 810.30 hectares out of the totally damaged 2500 hectares.
While 1239 cyclone-hit villages witnessed total black-out, 1179 villages got electricity supply restored despite damaged electricity distribution infrastructure, including 1233 electric poles collapsed.
The fishing industry also took a hit in Ratnagiri district’s coastal belt with three anchored boats completely destroyed and another 65 damaged. About 71 fishing net installations were damaged with cumulative losses pegged at Rs 90 lakhs.
The meeting was also attended by the district council president Vikrant Jadhav, Member of Parliament, Vinayak Raut, members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) Bhaskar Jadhav and Rajan Salvi, former MLA Husnabanu Khalifa, former council president Rohan Bane, district president Bandya Salvi, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sitaram Kunte, divisional commissioner, Annasaheb Misal, COO of the district council Indurani Jakhad, additional collector, Sanjay Shinde, resident deputy collector Datta Bhadakwad, district surgeon Dr. Sangamitra Phule, district health director Dr. Babita Kamlapurkar among other dignitaries.