Puducherry Assembly pays respects to victims of deadly Turkey-Syria earthquake

The Puducherry Assembly paid homage on Friday to the people killed in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6 that left over 50,000 people dead and countless others homeless.

As soon as the House resumed its sitting today in the Budget session, Speaker R Selvam made an obituary reference to the destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6 resulting in the death of thousands of people and huge loss of properties as several buildings were reduced to rubble following the tremors.

The Speaker also referred to the death of former AIADMK legislator K Natarajan on February 21 and recalled the dedicated services of the MLA during his two consecutive terms as legislator of Puducherry from 1991 to 2001.

All the members stood in silence in memory of the victims in the earthquake and also to the former legislator for a couple of minutes.

The Speaker pointed out that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had accepted the plea of the Puducherry government for extending the Circar Express railway service, which runs from Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) to Chengalpet, to Puducherry.

The extension would help people of Yanam region (an enclave of Puducherry in Andhra Pradesh) and the officials of the territorial government to commute between Puducherry and Yanam, the Speaker added.

The House had a debate on the motion of thanks to Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararjan for her customary address delivered on Thursday.

Members belonging to the ruling AINRC and BJP, nominated members and also legislators belonging to the opposition DMK participated in the debate.

The Speaker adjourned the proceedings to March 13.

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