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Tsunami- Relief and Restoring Livelihoods & Habitats DHAN Foundation Initiatives - Update 11 January 27 – February 9, 2005 1. Vailankanni 1.1 Keelaiyur block Relief works The community kitchen started in Pudupalli village is benefiting 66 families per day. (265 members) 5 families per day take charge of the kitchen. One oil engine was purchased and given to community for the de-watering of the farm ponds to reduce its salinity. Restoring Livelihoods The team has started a boat and engine repair center at Kameswaram village. 30 boats need to be repaired. 68 engines were damaged by tsunami in this village and repair works will be taken. Oil engine repairing works has been started in Vettaikaraniruppu village. Community organization In Pudupalli village four farmers groups were formed (Vayalagam groups). There are totally 11 SHG’s formed in this village itself. Many of the farmers in this village have been affected directly or indirectly. One more Kalanjiam group was formed in Keela pudupalli. Agriculture In Kameswaram village of this block, 4 channels were dug till date to pump out the salt water that accumulated in the farm ponds. Each channel is having an average 1km length. Till date more than 400 man-days labour were provided to the community. Now, the farmers have started to pump out the water from their individual ponds. The farmers of South Sallikulam are in their third step of land reclamation process, ie. The removal of sand crust from the tsunami affected fields. They are executing the work in a collective manner. Six farm ponds de-watering are in the process in Therkusallikulam and 4 in Vilunthmavady. Removal of sand crust has been started. The work was completed in the 18 acres out of the affected 30 acres in the village. 1.2 Vedaranyam block Relief works In Pushpavanam village, 80 shirts provided by the ITC and 600 toilet-kits provided by HLL were distributed to the school children and farming community. The team has planned for tree plantation with community participation for about 50 hectares in the coastal belt of the village to prevent the soil erosion and other related effects by natural calamities like tsunami. The team has also assessed the scope to start a tailoring centre for providing employment to women from affected families of the village. Community organization In Pushpavanam 10 farmers group consisting of the affected farmers have been formed. The group is actively involved in the agriculture related intervention with our team. Agriculture In Pushpavanam village, people responded very well and extended their full cooperation to all the initiatives. They have de-silted one main drainage channel with 42 sub channels. The salt water has been pumped out from most of the affected ponds. Work on five 5-drainage channels works are on going. Eighteen farm ponds are undergoing de-watering process. 1.3 Thalainairu block Relief works The team has distributed 80 shirts provided by ITC and nutrition biscuits supplied from the World Food Programme in Kovilpathu village. Agriculture With the farmer’s group participation, 8 drainage channels have been de-silted in the village of Kovilpathu. It generated 320 man days labour for the community. Our team has explored Vellapallam – Meenavar Colony and formed two farmers groups. The team has surveyed this area with the community to assess the damage caused to the agricultural lands. The team met V.A.O and gathered information about the village and explored the scope of dewatering and desilting the common pond. In Vanmadevi village the team organized a farmers meeting to bring them together in a group. In North Naluvedapathy village the team organized a meeting to build rapport and to identify their needs and difficulties of the community. 2. Kollidam and Seerkali block Relief activities In Kottaimedu village the team is working with the government by consturcting 20 toilets in the temporary shelters constructed by Government. The team has undertaken the distribution of fortified nutrition biscuits to 2,000 affected families in four villages for a month. The team is identifying the families and has introduced a card system to ensure proper distribution. The villages are, Chinnakottaimedu, Nadukottaimedu, Palayar and Mudavanmedu
Children of Chinnakottaimedu with nutrition biscuits supplied by WFP Housing The team has completed construction of an additional 18 houses in Chinnakottaimedu to 42 already done.
Construction of additional temporary houses in progress in Chinnakottaimedu village. Community Organisation Till date the team has formed 8 women self help groups in Kollidam and Seerkali blocks. The women in the group have already started their small savings. The group members are also involved in our activities as volunteers. A farmers group was formed in Kuntharimedu. A women’s group have also been formed in Kuntharimedu. Staff selection The team is now intensively involved in selecting the right people form the community to associate with the team in its long-term relief and rehabilitation works in these two blocks. 5 associates were already appointed and 10 more will be appointed by this week form the community. A local person was selected for the teams office administration, computer and accounts assistance. Agriculture In Chinnakottaimedu de-watering and de-silting of 3 farm ponds, which were filled with seawater was done with community participation. There is a change in the salinity of the water after pumping out of water from the pond. Channel de-silting work to an extent of 500 meters of channel has been de-silted. In Kuntharimedu village. Two farm ponds de-watering process was completed. With the community participation the team has removed seawater-affected topsoil from 9 acres of land in the village with the people providing the labour. A 340-meter channel was de-silted in the village. These works have created 186-person days work for both men and women. In Veeramettiruppu village, 5 farm ponds de-watering work and a Channel Desilting to a length of 2250 meters have been completed. With the community participation the team cut and removed 10acres of damaged Paddy crops in this village. The villagers could get 228-person day’s work in the village. In Kadaikadu village one farm pond de-watering has completed. 86-man days work were given till date to the community. Livelihoods The engine-repairing works was started in Madathukuppam and 8 engines have been repaired. In Nayakarkuppam, 10 boat engines work has been completed. All the works were done with local community participation where the community themselves arranged for the local mechanics and shed for the repair work. 3. Thirukalukundram Relief materials distribution The team has distributed relief packages consisting of grocery items for 400 families in the affected villages of Kipanikuppam and Alagankuppam villages of Villupuram district. In Kovalamkuppam village of Thiruporur block of Kancheepuram district the team has arranged for the supply of relief materials of grocery items through Tata Relief Committee to 315 Muslim fishing families who were not yet reached by government or any other NGO’s. The relief materials included rice, dhal, oil, spices, salt and soap .etc. Ten thousand toilet kits provided by HLL were distributed to 2,000 families. The team has also distributed 990 shirts provided by ITC were distributed in these villages. Assessment study Assessment study has been made in the coastal villages of Lathur and Chithamur block to assess the damage and the relief measures and gaps if any. The villages visited were;
In Kovalamkuppam village, which is in Thiruporur block of Kancheepuram district, an assessment was made to find out what kind of intervention is needed in collaboration with Tata relief committee (TRC). It was found that these communities are settled in 3 different locations within that village and belong to Hindu and Muslim fishermen community. Livelihood activities Our team at Thirukalukundram has already started two boat repairing centers in the villages of Meiyurkuppam and Mahabalipuramkuppam. In Meiyurkuppam village, 30 boats (FRP) have been repaired and are fit for fishing. 2 tones of fishing nets were distributed to the fishing community with a contribution of 25%amounts to RS.2 lakh from them. Almost all the boat engines have been repaired with the help of ‘Guild of Service’, Chennai (G.O.S) and have supplied 150 Kg of fishing nets to the community. The team has provided assistance to 22 families to resume their occupations such as Tailoring, Bed/Sofa repairing shop, idly shop, Samosa shop, Fruits shop etc.
Boat repairing under process at Meiyurkuppam village
Ready to sail…..Repaired boat at Meiyurkuppam village Assistance has been provided for the construction of 33 thatched houses in participation with an NGO (MICRO) of Kalpakkam. In the Pudupattinam and in Devaneri Kuppam villages, engine repairing works have been initiated with the participation of the community. The community would contribute their labour and provide food for the labourers and construct the shed as their contribution. In Oyyalikuppam and in Mahabalipuramkuppam boat repairing work has been commenced and the work is underway. The other activities of the team in the area includes, Personal counseling to Kalanjiam members, Death claim settling assistance and active interaction with the village panchayat committees. 4. Cuddalore The major concentration of the team in Cuddalore currently is in the restoration of livelihood for the fishermen community by way of boat and engine repairing. In Madavankulam village 7 eingines, In Sothikuppam village 34 out of 67 engines were given for repair. In Chinnur-North village15 engines were repaired. In Madavankulam village 3 boats were repaired. Our team has also started a new initiative ie, of cleaning works in the tsunami affected villages in this area, and as a first step cleaning works were done with community participation in the village of Velankirayanpettai. Hindustan Lever’s toilet kits distribution is also going on in these villages. 5. Pondicherry and Kariakal 5.1 Pondicherry In 3 coastal villages ie, Nalllavadu, Pudukuppam, Panithittu our team has distributed toilet kits provided by HLL. The team has distributed 900 packets of groceries to the needy families in Kurunjikuppam and Vaithikuppam villages. Government has provided a lot of relief materials in these villages. The team has found that there is a scope of Self Help Group formation in these areas and the screening work is being done for the same by them. 5.2 Karaikal The Karikal team is intensively involved in the sea water intruded pond de-watering works. The Karaikal district mainly consists of farmers and fisherman community. The team visited the tsunami affected areas in and around Karaikal region and identified sea water intruded ponds. The hit of Tsunami spoiled the entire ponds. The fresh water in the ponds became salty and unfit for any purpose. So the team has framed a strategy for desilting the ponds of the area. The work was initiated with the help of District administration, Village Development Association (Formed and managed by the villagers), Commune Panchayat, and Public Works Department. The team also conducted a workshop on this theme with the village people and collected the details viz., water source for the pond owned by public or private, measurement of the pond etc. Initially 15 Village Development Committee came forward to work and till date the team completed the cleaning of 10 sea water intruded ponds. Till date 41 community toilets were constructed in 4 villages ie, Pattinacherry, Kilinjalmedu, Mandapathur and Keezhavanjoor. In all these villages the water supply work is being carried out and is in the ongoing process.
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