The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Cuddalore News : Adversity wipes out communal differences

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

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore

Adversity wipes out communal differences

By A. V. Ragunathan

Fishermen of Devanampattinam in Cuddalore share briyani distributed by the Panruti Jamat on Wednesday. — Photo: T. Singaravelou

CUDDALORE, DEC. 29. Thetsunami that hit the coastal areas recently may have left many people battered, but forged a human bond. Everyone has taken this as a personal tragedy and has come forward to help each other.

There is an overwhelming response to the call for help and every individual has done his bit to provide succour to the homeless. Assistance has started pouring in from every direction.

Social service organisations and groups have started rushing aid to Thevanapattinam and Sothikuppam, two coastal villages that suffered heavy damage.

People from all communities are taking part in relief work. Members of the Panruti Jamaath visited the affected areas today and distributed food and clothes. However, people in certain areas were unhappy at relief not reaching them owing to lack of a distribution mechanism.

Exemplary harmony

The disaster fuelled exemplary communal harmony at Parangipettai near here. About 5,000 Hindus who were rendered homeless have been accommodated by the Aikkiya Jamaath members in their homes. They even arranged for the burial of victims. Such movingscenes were common at Samiarpettai, Chinnur, Pudupettai and Velingarayanpettai.

Foreigners' gesture

Two tourists from Switzerland, Anina and Carlotta, both students of the film technology institute at Zurich, contributed Rs. 20,000 towards the relief funds. They handed over the money to the District Collector, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, today. Holidaying in Cuddalore, they decided to cut short their visit to save money and donate it for relief when they learnt about the enormous tragedy. They were to tour various places till January 5.

Data on aid

Two information technology professionals, C. Sudakar and R. Sriram, who had returned here after 10 years' stay in the U.S., had joined the rescue work. With Mr. Bedi's consent, the duo designed software to compile data on the amount of aid required, its utilisation and so on.

Mr. Sudakar and Mr. Sriram would soon be able to provide information on the number of deaths (age-wise and gender-wise), missing persons and compensation disbursed. They have also decided to mobilise funds from non-resident Indians.

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Adversity wipes out communal differences