Foundation stone laid for disaster protection centre in Nagapattinam

Foundation stone laid for a disaster protection centre in Nagapattinam to safeguard coastal residents during emergencies.

Nagapattinam District Collector P. Akash on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a multi-purpose disaster protection centre at the Seva Bharathi fishermen’s residential area in Keechankuppam.

The centre will be constructed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department at an estimated cost of ₹8.58 crore at Keeraikollai Street in Keechankuppam, an area vulnerable to cyclones and heavy rain.

Mr. Akash said the facility had been a long-standing demand of local residents. He said protecting the lives and property of the public remained a key priority of the government. The centre would serve as a safe shelter for coastal residents during emergencies such as cyclones, floods, and heavy rain, and would help reduce hardship faced by fishing communities during monsoon and storm seasons.

He expressed hope that the construction would be completed expeditiously and the facility would soon be made available for public use. Later, the Collector, along with N. Gowthaman, Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation, distributed house-site pattas to 604 beneficiaries from areas surrounding Keechankuppam.

Nagapattinam Municipal Chairperson R. Marimuthu, Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board member K. Manoharan, officials and members of the public were present.