The Madras High Court directed the state government to file a status report on the relief and rehabilitation activities being undertaken in the cyclone Gaja-hit districts of the state.

Fishers stand near damaged boats in Mallipattinam, Thanjavur

Chennai:

A PIL filed by advocate Rajinikanth has sought a direction by the court to declare the cyclonic storm a National Disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

The petitioner alleged that relief measures have not reached the needy.

When the plea came up before the court, Jayaprakash Narayan, government pleader in-charge, submitted that the government was taking relief measures on a war-footing.

A division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice P Rajamanickam posted the matter for further hearing on November 29.

Cyclone Gaja crossed the coast near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district, about 300 km from Chennai, last Friday, leaving a trail of destruction in over 10 districts in the southern parts of the state, claiming 46 lives.