The Hindu : Kerala News : NGOs active at relief camps

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

NGOs active at relief camps

By A. Harikumar

ALAPPUZHA, DEC. 29. At the relief camps in the district where the victims of tsunami are rehabilitated, the people are generally satisfied with the relief measures being initiated by the State Government and various voluntary organisations.

The camps are mainly situated at schools. There are 25 camps in the district now. Eighteen camps function at Karthikappally taluk and seven at Cherthala taluk. The tahsildars, deputy tahsildars and other revenue officials are in charge of the camps. But more than the official machinery it is the presence of Non-Governmental Organisations and other voluntary agencies that is more visible in the camps.

The Seva Bharathi, the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the All India Youth Federation and Congress workers are present in most of the camps. The counters of various organisations in the camps are working round the clock. Huge heaps of clothes collected by the organisations are seen at their counters. The inmates choose clothes of their size from the counters.

Food packets

The organisations also supply food packets. There is practically no shortage of food at the camps. The inmates said there was no shortage of food.

But there is lack of sufficient number of latrines at many of the schools where the camps are situated. While this is not troubling the men much, the women are experiencing difficulties.

The generally peaceful atmosphere in the camps falls into one of deep grief whenever reports of discovery of a new body are heard. The inmates rush to get the details of the body discovered. While the identification brings relief to some, it brings deep sorrow to those who lost their dear ones.

There is supply of drinking water at the camps. The medical centres at the camps alert people against using water that is not purified.

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