Second batch of relief materials sent to Lanka
The state as per its commitment, on Wednesday dispatched the second batch of relief materials, including essential supplies, all worth Rs 67.7 crore from VO Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi to Sri Lanka.
In the second consignment, 14,712 tonnes of rice worth Rs 48.3 crore, 250 tonnes of Aavin milk powder worth Rs 7.5 crore and life saving medicines worth Rs 11.9 crore were sent to Sri Lanka in the vessel named VTC SUN. The total quantity of essential supplies sent to Sri Lanka, in this consignment, is 15,000 tonnes.
Host of Ministers, including Minister for Minorities Welfare Gingee KS Mastan, Minister for Food R Chakrapani, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan and Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan flagged off the vessel on behalf of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“For people of Sri Lanka, who are reeling under economic crisis, essential supplies worth Rs 67.7 crore was sent from Thoothukudi Port for the second time on behalf of people of Tamil Nadu,” said Stalin, in a tweet, who also added that the help was being rendered out of love and on humanitarian basis.
Initially, when the state government planned to send relief materials to Sri Lanka, the Centre did not give permission and only after repeated letters to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, it allowed Tamil Nadu to send relief materials. Following this, the first consignment of relief materials was shipped to Sri Lanka from Chennai port on May 18, this year, and it was flagged off by Chief Minister Stalin himself.
In the first phase, a cargo vessel hauled relief aid, including 9,045 tonnes of rice costing Rs 30 crore, 50 tonnes of Aavin milk powder at Rs1.5 crore and eight tonnes of medicines at Rs 1.44 crore.