Chennai: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and Tamil Nadu Government today (Oct 30) signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MoU) to implement the State Government's 'disaster risk management programme' in eight districts of the state at a cost of Rs.6.70 crore.

Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP, Dennis Lazarus and Tamil Nadu Government's Commissioner for revenue administration, R Santhanam, signed the MoU in the secretariat in the presence of the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, an official press release said in Chennai on October 30.

The agreement will be in force till 2007 and cover disaster risks such as cyclones and land slides in Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Kanniyakumari and the Nilgiris districts, besides cities like Chennai and Coimbatore which are susceptible to earthquakes.

Under the scheme, plans would be evolved to tackle disasters in village and circle levels, give training to women to head the committees to tackle these disasters, including transportation of the people and the cattle to safer places during disasters. Steps would also be evolved to build houses, which can withstand quakes.

Several top officials including Chief Secretary, Lakshmi Pranesh were present during the signing ceremony.

PTI