Nagapattinam

The state forest department has drawn up a massive afforestation programme for the entire coastal belt to help prevent losses arising out of natural calamities.
The department had already started planting casuarinas and coconut saplings in the badly affected villages of Keechankuppam and Seruthur, Shanta Sheela Nair, in charge of tsunami relief work in Nagapattinam district, told reporters on Wednesday.

The district administration stressed on giving relief to those whose fishing nets had been damaged, for which the Government had sanctioned Rs 13.88 crore. As on Wednesday, Rs 52.80 lakh had been disbursed, she said.
The state transport corporation of Tamil Nadu had issued 4,126 free bus passes to students coming to schools from 45 villages in the district.
J.S. Raju, Commissioner of Agriculture, who inspected the damage to paddy crop and agricultural land, said about 1500 hectares had been affected by the tidal waves.
The soil had turned saline, with a four-inch thick layer of clay. A team of scientists from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University was now surveying the affected lands, he said.