Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced the setting up of committees to monitor rehabilitation work in the tsunami affected areas of the state.

This followed serious allegations of malpractices in the relief work levelled by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi and other opposition leaders.

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In a statement, Jayalalithaa said these committees would be formed in all the 13 coastal districts that were affected by the December 26 tsunami that left close to 8,000 people dead in Tamil Nadu alone.

The committees would be set-up at the village, district and ward levels, she added.

The chief minister's statement said that collectors would be in-charge of the district committees with members of Parliament, members of legislative assembly, panchayat presidents and vice-presidents and state government officials as members.

Panchayat chiefs and ward member will head the village and ward committees respectively.

"The collectors can also nominate two representatives from local NGOs to these committees," the statement added.

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