Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalithaa has asked Prime Minister to immediately declare the unprecedented catastrophic and cataclysmic event in the state as a National Calamity. <br/><br/>In a letter to Mr.Narendra Modi, Ms.Jayalalithaa has appealed for excise duty exemption for white goods and kitchen equipment to be sold in the flood affected districts till 31st March. She has suggested that flood affected families may be liberally extended soft loans by the Banks to finance essential domestic durables.