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Cabinet
announces
Rs 500
crore for tsunami relief
What is India News Service,
Tuesday, 28 December 2004, 2000 hrs IST
The Union Cabinet tonight decided to provide Rs 500 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund for immediate relief to the tsunami-affected southern states and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
A Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi also decided to provide assistance to the affected states on the lines of the relief provided to Orissa following the super-cyclone of 1999.
After the Cabinet meeting, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters that Andaman and Nicobar Islands, hit by the quake and tidal waves, would be considered separately for providing funds.
He said a Cabinet Committee had been constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to monitor the rescue and relief operations in the tsunami-hit states.
The committee will meet twice a day to monitor and give directions on the rehabilitation measures. In the absence of the Prime Minister, the senior-most Cabinet Minister present in the Capital would chair the committee meeting.
With the extent of damage in Nicobar Island expected to be \93very high\94, the Union Home Ministry is being authorised to make a special assessment for the island, he said.
Keeping out Car Nicobar, where the number is expected to be \93quite high\94, the preliminary toll in other affected areas is close to more than 4,000, he said.
Death toll in India 6,400:
As southern India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands struggled to recover from Sunday's tsunami strike, armed forces and civilian agencies took up massive rescue and relief operations, looking for survivors along the coastline.
Isro maps tsunami trail of damage:
Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) today provided the Union home ministry with aerial images that will help in assessing the damage .
5,000 feared dead and missing in Andaman and Nicobar:
About 3,000 persons in Nicobar Islands were estimated to have died and 2,000 reported missing. So far, 300 bodies had been recovered, official sources said.
Nagapattinam reels under shock:
Despite being used to devastation wrought by cyclones in the past, Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu was unprepared for a calamity of epic proportions that struck it on Sunday in the form of giant tidal waves, with more than 2,000 perishing in this district alone, as the people buried their dead in mass graves with great sorrow and surprising equanimity.
Forgotten islands emptied of life:
People gathered on beaches in southern India and scattered flower petals into the sea at dawn to pray for the safe return of those washed away by Sunday\92s tsunami.
How a quake is measured:
The method of measuring quakes has been upgraded and improved upon since Charles F. Richter developed a scale in 1935 that has been in common usage for decades.
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India sends medical aid
to Lanka: The first consignment of Indian aid for victims of the Tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka began arriving on Monday on aircraft, helicopters and naval vessels, the Indian High Commission said.
Alert triggers Kerala exodus:
A heaving human tide began to roll from coastal Kerala to interior towns tonight after a warning that another tsunami could slam ashore \93within an hour\94.
Over 11,500 killed in Sri Lanka:
The tsunami toll in Sri Lanka has risen to at least 11,500 persons and shows signs of increasing by a few more thousands, according to officials today.
23,700 killed across South Asia:
Aid officials said Sunday's tidal waves that obliterated towns along southern Asian coastlines killed 23,700 people in eight countries. The tally was expected to rise, with thousands still missing.
DMK chief suggests calamity relief cess:
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, M. Karunanidhi, today wrote to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, suggesting that the Centre levy a one per cent `calamity relief cess' on income tax. This could be a one-time measure,
he said.
Air Force loses 23 men in Islands:
Even as the nation grappled with the Tsumani tragedy on the Day After, the fate of inhabitants of Andamand and Car Nicobar Island emerged as the major concern of the Union Government by Tuesday after it became increasingly clear that death and devastation there may have been at much higher scale than feared earlier.
Advance warning system soon:
The Minister for Science and Technology, Kapil Sibal, said the Centre would soon initiate measures to put together a system that would provide advance warning for tsunamis.
Indian ships reach Sri Lanka:
A massive Indian relief operation involving naval ships and helicopters is under way in Sri Lanka ravaged by the tsunami on Sunday. Two Indian naval ships have arrived in Sri Lanka's eastern and southern ports.
Railways depute 1000 doctors:
Although special trains have not been commissioned to reach the relief aid to the victims of the killer-wave tragedy in South India, the Railway Ministry has deputed about 1,000 railway doctors nationwide to assist the Governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and
Kerala.
CPI (M) donates funds:
The CPI (M)'s West Bengal unit today decided to raise funds to help the victims of tsunami. The party has donated Rs 7 lakhs to the affected people of Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Rising toll alarms Govt:
The Union Home Ministry on Monday evening put the nation-wide toll of Tsumani victims at a 2958, while adding that as per the reports pouring in from different coastal states and Anadman and Nicobar Islands, the updated toll figure would register an increase of over 500 more deaths by late evening.
Cuddalore beach is now a graveyard:
Cuddalore\92s Silver Beach presented a sad sight with apprehension, confusion, and fear reigning supreme among the local people.
A tragic end for many Velankanni pilgrims: The famous pilgrimage centre of Velankanni in the coastal belt of Nagapattinam district has witnessed the worst calamity in its history due to the havoc caused by the tsunami.
Kanyakumari death toll over 700, rising:
While the exact number of dead remains unknown, relief measures have been inadequate with dead bodies still seen trapped among the debris.
Goa advisory to tourists withdrawn:
Though Goa went relatively unscathed by the tsunami devastation, the buildup of waves caused mild panic in the tourism belt around
Palolem.
More tsunami news
No reliable warning system
No historic record of tsunami in Indian Ocean
Bodies come back in waves
Gujarat rushes financial, material assistance
No advisory on further quakes, says Met Department
U.S. offers
Rs. 44.5 lakhs as relief
Orissa misses tryst with tsunami, relieved
Photographs
Rediff
feature
States
JMM eyes twin districts:
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has set its sights on the Banka and Jamui districts \97 both with a sizeable tribal population \97 for the Assembly election in Bihar.
Yoga class at Taj leaves ASI blushing:
At least three to four dozen foreigners, led by international yoga "Guru" Bikram
Chowdhary, practised various yoga postures at the monument's main dome in a semi-nude state. The whole event was filmed by at least three movie cameras, all in clear violation of an ASI Act.
Soldier gets RI for misconduct:
All legal proceedings were completed and the soldier dismissed from service within a week of the receipt of the complaint.
Mercury dips to lowest this season in Delhi:
Continuing foggy conditions, cold wave and the devastating tsunami waves affected train schedules, causing an indefinite delay of 30 trains in the last two weeks.
Neighbours
Islamabad
talks focus on peace, security: The foreign office said on Monday that talks on the first day between the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India focused on issues of peace and security, and both sides resolved to intensify efforts to make progress in dispute areas, including Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan sends Rs10m relief to Lanka:
The government of Pakistan on Monday dispatched food, medicine and other relief goods to Sri Lanka for the victims of Sunday's massive tsunami.
Overall
Centre announced relief: Over 10,000 are dead in India, with Tamil Nadu
bearing the brunt.
Talks began in Islamabad: Foreign secretaries of India and Paksitan
discussed peace and security.
Pakistan sent relief to Lanka: It has made a contribution of Rs 10
million towards tsunami relief.
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