CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday announced a solatium of Rs250,000 each to the families of 14 people killed in rain-related mishaps as the Northeast monsoon swept the state.

In a statement here, the chief minister expressed her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

Officials had earlier put the toll at 25.

The deaths were reported in Cuddalore, Villuppuram, Trichy, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli and Tiruvannamalai districts. Jayalalithaa also announced an assistance of Rs200,000 each to the families of two policemen who died in harness.

She expressed anguish over the deaths of Special Sub-Inspectors K. Mohan, attached to the Thanjavur Taluk Police station, and G. Kulasekaran, attached to the Rajamangalam Police station in Chennai city, and offered her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

Jayalalithaa announced a solatium of Rs100,000 each to the families of four people who died in various road accidents in the state.

An assistance of Rs25,000 was sanctioned to those who sustained serious injuries in the mishap and Rs10,000 to those who suffered simple injuries.

She said the assistance would be given from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief fund.

Separately, Jayalalithaa also announced a major tourism initiative, alloting of Rs42.7 million to clean the famous Ooty Lake, created by the British in the 19th century in the Queen of Hill Stations, Udhagamandalam in Nilgiris district.

Officials said Jayalalithaa reviewed the status of the Ooty Lake in the wake of reports of pollution and massive growth of water hyacinth in it, causing problems to tourists who come for boating in the lake.

After the review, Jayalalithaa announced formation of a committee headed by the Nilgiris District Collector to monitor the maintenance of the Ooty Lake and to provide a facelift to attract more tourists.

The committee would be registered as an association for which the state government would provide a permanent corpus fund of Rs5 million.