lack of progress in Tamil Nadu

Sheila Scott and Claire Smith

Issue date: 12/17/2006

 Sheila Scott and Claire Smith of the Salvation Army recently returned from a visit to Pattinampakkam Village, Tamil Nadu, S. India and report on slow progress

 Claire Smith’s report is copyright. She can be contacted at Clairerobertssmith@hotmail.co.uk

Tsunami Village Nearly Two Years On


“South of Chennai lies one of the longest beaches in the world where in
2004 the tsunami swept away thousands of lives. Eyewitnesses said it all
happened in just one hour. The following day bodies flowed through the
streets and the stench of sewage was horrific. Today the fishing shanties
are still lining the beach, dangerously close to the shore. A dispute with
the authorities over land means that the fisherfolk refuse to move away
from the beach and lose their livelihood. Their boats, donated by
sponsorship and their fishing nets which finally came last year enable them
to continue working.

We arrived at the beach under a brooding, cloudy sky and rough sea
Pounding the shore, a storm followed later that night. A local fisherman told us through an interpreter that the sea had been rough for several days. It is
the monsoon season and there was excessive flooding in Chennai. Local
people were wading through the streets knee-high in water. Flights were
delayed up to eight hours, weather conditions were responsible and were
worse than usual. The beach had an eerie atmosphere-echoes of tsunami,
somehow it wasn't all over for the tsunami village people here.

The shanty homes claim their electricity by cutting into the local
supply. Inside the huts are tvs. fans and strips of fluorescent light all linked together. But this unorthodox current has caused a fire recently and put their homes at risk. After tsunami the village people received trauma
counselling, basic supplies, food and clothing and health needs were met.
Now the question of where to place their new homes remains. Shelter boxes
from America remain unused and unreleased by the authorities. By contrast
the local children's home was on safe ground, the children seemed well,
happy and excited to see us. They have various sponsorship to meet their
needs.

Local advice warned that the land wrangle could continue for years. If
This happens sponsorship could be withdrawn. India no longer wishes to be a
third world country or a developing nation. We were told firmly that the
age of the European is well and truly over. India wants to be considered a
serious, strong world power with nuclear deterrents. Its name has been
withdrawn from the charity list, as a result Australia has already
withdrawn aid. But India is still a poor country with many city slums.

So what of the tsunami village people that Britain so generously
supported financially? They have to live on a continuing wave of hope . Hope that their fishing industry survives, that land issues are resolved and new
homes provided and hope above all that the tsunami never comes again to
wreak such devastation.”


Sheila Scott reports that they attended a wedding and whilst there. “ we visited the Tsunami struck fishing village of Pattinapakkam a fishing community situated in the foreshore area of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In this community of 330+ families, more than 200 lives were lost in December 2004 during the fateful disaster.
Money raised by the International Salvation Army has provided this community with basic essentials including cooking utensils and rations of rice, lentils and oil which are still being distributed today. However, this relief programme will end after one more year. Also, last year several fishing boats were supplied and earlier this year, nets to enable them to start fishing once more; their means of earning a living for their families. In addition to this they now have trolleys to transport the fish and ice boxes to keep them cool.
Whilst we were there the sea was too rough for the fishing boats to go out and it was also the monsoon season. How do people survive in such conditions with the heavy rains that caused the roads to become shallow rivers where people were paddling through? Then to go home to a shelter built from coconut branches reinforced with tarpaulin?
There are 300 temporary housing units being held by Indian Customs at Chennai airport until duty is paid by the charity before they can be released. These goods have been in the airport now since early 2005. We were told that these goods may be put up for auction.
August 2005 I made a visit to the same area, having sent three half pallets of goods including children’s wear, school supplies, soft toys, dried soup, Horlicks …These were all donated goods for the welfare of three children’s homes, a school and the tsunami victims. On my arrival I was told that these goods which I’d had flown out there at a cost of £351 would not be released till I had paid £220 duty (16950 rupees). I had no alternative but to pay as otherwise the storage cost would make the price even higher!
On my return to England and earlier this year I visited the Indian High Commission to obtain a visa. Whist there I made enquiries as to why I’d had to pay such a price to enable welfare aid to these poor people. I was informed that India no longer considers itself a developing country and had asked to be taken off the list of recipients of aid. One year on and the situation has not changed. People continue to live under tarpaulin and in shelters made from woven coconut branches.
The Indian Government has offered to house these families but will not build within a certain distance from the sea. Understandably the fisher folk need and want to be near the sea as that is where their livelihood lies. They are existing in a very primitive way and there appears to be no way out. Perhaps if they could have some form of housing built on stilts and if there way some way of educating the children that they may have a better life.”