Udhagamandalam: The Nilgiris District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB) has extended a
helping hand to the traders affected by the blaze that charred a part of the municipal market in Ooty on Monday.

With 81 shops being gutted the bank provided relief to the tune of rupees 20.50 lakhs (as first instalment) to 41 beneficiaries at a function held at the Breeks Open Air Stadium here on Friday.

Distributing the cheques the Nilgiris Collector Ms.J.Innocent Divya lamented that even as the traders were struggling to cope with the
fallout of the Corona outbreak, the fire had added to their agony. In order to mitigate their sufferings the administration had implemented the loan scheme. Steps have also been taken to approach the Chief Minister for compensation. She lauded the bank for having disbursed loans worth rupees 18.50 crores, over the last three months, to enhance the livelihood of various sections of the society.

Adverting to the impact of Covid-19 in the Nilgiris,she observed that though there was a rise in the number of infections, owing to the
movement of people into the Nilgiris from other districts and travel of the local people to other places, ”there is no need to panic”.

Among those present was the Chairman of the NDCCB Mr.Kappachi lVinoth,municipal commissioner Saraswathi and municipal engineer Ravi.