NAGAPATTINAM/ TRICHY/ TIRUVARUR: Protests spread across districts with power supply and mobile network yet to be restored in several places even three days after Cyclone Gaja made landfall in the state.At Kothamangalam near Alangudi in Pudukottai district on Sunday, angry villagers set ablaze five government vehicles. They alleged that the government was not taking proper post-disaster management measures in the village. The incident led to the arrest of around 50 protestors.Prompted by a lack of rescue measures, the villagers staged a road roko on Saturday night. Many alleged that the government was yet to take action after the cyclone devastated the region.At this time, Alangudi tahsildar Rethinavathy came to the village to take stock of the situation. The residents confronted her, questioning the officer over the measures adopted to minimize the damage. Pudukottai district revenue officer (DRO) A Ramasamy, revenue divisional officer Daisy Kumar and Alangudi deputy superintendent of police G Ayyanar then rushed to the spot to diffuse the tension.But the situation soon went from bad to worse, and some villagers set fire to five vehicles of the officials while others pelted stones at them. The incident left police superintendent Ayyanar injured who was later taken to the Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital.Meanwhile, frequent road blockades at various places hit by the cyclone are preventing officials vehicles to supply even essential commodities to localities like Kodiyakkarai near Vedaranyam and Muthupettai near Thiruthuraipoondi.According to Mohammed Yakoob of Muthupettai in Tiruvarur district, people of the town did not anticipate such devastation from Gaja. “Even during the 2004 tsunami, mangroves guarded our town and the damages were less. But the devastation caused by Gaja is unprecedented. The authorities should have anticipated this and should have taken better precautionary measures such as stocking water and food,” he said.Close to 30,000 houses in the vicinity of Muthupettai and in nearby areas like Jambavanodai, Nachikulam, Alangadu, and Thambikottai in Tiruvarur district were damaged. The centuries-old Jambavanodai dargah near Muthupettai has also suffered damages.The situation in Vedaranyam, situated 42 km away from Muthupettai of Nagapattinam district , is no different. Officials said that they were unable to reach Kodiyakkarai as villagers have been blocking the roads for the past two days. “Villagers are not even permitting medicine, electricity poles, and food supplies to reach Vedaranyam. They have formed a self-imposed isolation which is hampering our rescue and relief works,” a senior official in relief operation said.

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