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Tsunami- Relief and Restoring Livelihoods & Habitats DHAN Foundation Initiatives - Update 9 January 18-21, 2005
I. Tamilnadu 1. Nagapattanam
1.1 Seerkali Taluka
Assessment study Assessment study is going on in full thick and is in the last lap in the villages of Kelamuvarkarai, Melemuvarkarai, Pudhukuppam, Osala kuppam, Chavadi kuppam, and Kuntharimedu of Seerkali region.
Housing
Construction of the 42 houses is completed in Chinnakottaimedu village and the arrangements are being made by the community and the team for the house warming function in the village. The function is scheduled to be conducted on 22-1-2005. Each family will be provided with some essential house hold articles also such as, Trunk boxes, school bags, lamps, calendars.etc.
1.2 Keevelur block
Assessment study A Participatory Rural Approach (PRA) study was completed in the villages of Vilunthamavady Tenpathy and Vadapathy. The study result showed that there is a clear scope for the formation of SHG groups in both the villages. The study further threw light on the effects of tsunami on the farmers and that the focus has not been given much to them in the relief activities done so far.
Livestock
Relief work In Seruthur village trunk boxes were supplied for 240 people who had lost their homes and things in tsunami. Vilunthamavadi fishermen colony area and surrounding places were cleaned with community participation.
Agriculture In Pudupalli village, the team organized the community for desilting of one drainage channel. Eighteen people were involved in this activity.
In Vilundhanmavadi- south, a Farmers Association was formed with 29 farmers as members. They elected the board of directors and formulated byelaw for the association. A field Associate Mr. Sundara Rajan was selected to work for the association.
In Vilunthanmavadi-East, the team visited the agriculture fields and discussed with the farming community for reclaiming the soil by draining the sea water and scrapping the salty upper layer. The team formed Gandhi Cuddalore vivasayigal nala sangam, a farmers association which is formed for the farmers affected by the Tsunami. The team members shared about the status of affected farmers with the District Collector.
Microfinance In Vilunthanmavadi-north-fisher men’s colony, all the women in this region are organized and a Kalanjiam group named Vadakku Meenavargal Pengal kalanjiam was formed. In the first meeting, they passed a resolution for conveying the problems faced by the Tsunami affected families face to the concerned authorities. The team has formed three self help groups in N.Melapudupalli village.
In Sallikulam-south village, the community was involved in desilting of a channel for a length of one kilometer. Fourteen villagers were involved in this activity. The farmers in the village also discussed about the steps to be undertaken to treat the affected land. A study was conducted by Tata- Dhan Academy students to assess the damage caused to the oil and electric motors utilized for agricultural purposes due to tsunami. They found that 16 engines are damaged and arranged for the repair in consultation with the community.
2. Cuddalore District
In Cuddalore district the two teams of DHAN had a discussion with the project officer of the government aided project and decided that the DHAN foundation will work for livelihood stabilization and restoration in Akkraikkori and Sothikuppam a remote Island in the district. The team also expressed that the DHAN foundation could work in the entire Cuddalore District on agriculture front.
Household survey The team is involved in an intensive house hold survey. Survey of 600 households has been completed in Akkaraikori village. The district administration had allotted them an island named ‘Sothikuppam’ where there is severe damage and loss of lives. About 22 children are still missing in the Island. Our team is involved in an intensive household survey in the area where there are about 500 households scattered in the Island. A lot of mistakes were found in the government data/claim on the distribution of the boats, kattumarams and launches to the community. The community shared that the government data was not correct and they got only very less compared to what is said to have been given to them. (In Akkaraikori village the government records shows that they had distributed 130 Kattumarms, 50 boats and 40 launches, but in reality they got only 10 fiber boats, 20 kattumarams and 4 launches).
Livelihood
Three volunteers were identified from the Akkarikori village to purchase fishing-nets for the community. About 250 nets were planned to be purchased in the initial stage to be distributed to 500 families (one net for two families). The team is also planning to set up a community boat repairing shed at the above two villages and work on identifying a place for the same is in progress.
Relief measures Hindustan Lever Co. has provided 12,000 kits consisting of bathing soap, shampoo, brush, tooth paste. etc to be distributed to the affected families through DHAN. The team has planned to distribute kits to the families. ITC has provided 2000 ready made shirts to be distributed to the affected families. The team is organizing for the distribution of these shirts.
Three students from Tata-Dhan Academy had joined the team to take up assessment studies in the tsunami affected areas.
The place where we lived, the place where we played…….
‘Affected villagers in our card distribution centre at Pudupettai village’
3. Kancheepuram District-Thirukkalukundram Block
Livelihood 200 kg fishing nets were purchased for distribution among the fishermen community in the areas. The Boat repairing centre at Meyurkuppam is working well. At present 4 boats are undergoing repair works. 3 persons form the local panchayat committee and 5 hired persons were engaged in the repair works
Assessment
study/Household survey The Thirukkalukundram team had completed the family wise household survey and the consolidation of the same in the tsunami affected areas of Thirukkalukundram.
Two Tata-Dhan academy students had started a research study on the housing and infrastructural areas in Pudupattinam and Uyyarikuppam villages. In Meyurkuppam village there was a lot of non fishing community affected by tsunami. A need assessment survey was done on the family status and needs in the village and the community had expressed the need of tailoring machines, petty shops, hand carts, grinders..etc.4. Ramnad, Tuticorin and Pudukkottai Region
The team has given detailed status and requirement of damage of boats and nets. The team has also identified people to get involved in repair work. The local federations are involved in working the operational details with the community. The repair and rehabilitation of fishing equipment will be intensified over next week in these locations.
II. Pondicherry- Union Territory 2.1 Karaikal
Meeting with
Regional Administrative Officer on 17/01/05 DHAN team at Karaikal had a discussion with R.A.O on the team’s activities in the tsunami affected areas of Karaikal. He was impressed by the team’s relief activities. He suggested the team to construct 100-200 temporary shelters in the area. The team is now in the planning process of identification of the place for the same and for organizing labour force form the community itself.
Agriculture The team had a discussion with the Agriculture department and Pondicherry Agriculture college authorities regarding the land affected by the Tsunami. The team has planned to get a soil testing kit to test soil samples from the field
NGO
co-ordination meeting An NGO coordination meeting was convened in the region where about 19 NGO’s participated, most of them are concentrated on relief works – Rotary clubs and Lion’s club participation is high. No NGO has committed for long term activities in the tsunami affected areas. DHAN team’s focus in this area is mainly on long term sustainable Agriculture intervention, women SHG formation and support for habitat restoration.
Interaction with
villagers Each village in the Karaikal region is having its own “Rural panchayat”, a local governing system. The village development association promoted by the people in most of the villages is acting very well in distribution of service and other welfare measures. The team discussed with them and had a transact walk in the entire village and assessed the damage in terms of asset, land, lives, people participation level, relief/rehabilitation work done etc. The team had planned for a village development association meeting at Karaikal in the coming week. The local staff identification and selection process has started in the team’s Karaikal office for selecting the community volunteers to work with the team. The team also organized a meeting with the local community. 35 members from the community attended the meeting and they came forward to form a committee in each village.
2.2 Pondicherry
The Kalanjiam federation in Pondicherry is actively involved in relief operations. They have made a detailed assessment of the gaps with respect to distribution of relief material. It has been found that many people do not have groceries and kerosene oil for cooking. The team is making arrangements for distribution of relief material. The federation has coordinated with the Hindustan lever to distribute the relief materials supplied by them.
B.Raghini
DHAN
Foundation, Tel:+91- 452 - 5355458.
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