The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Tsunami victims don't get what they want

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

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tsunami victims don't get what they want

By Our Bureau

CHENNAI, DEC. 29. The dogs at Srinivasapuram off Foreshore Estate look well-fed.

They can choose from mild sambar rice and bread or sour puliyodarai, which residents received as relief.

This morning, the residents got only undercooked puliyodarai brought in by Chennai Corporation lorries. R. Ashok Kumar chose ven pongal provided by the Mahaveer Jain Association though he longed for rice with meen kolambu, his daily fare before the tsunami ravaged the hamlet and damaged his fishing nets on Sunday.

This margazhi and in the coming thai and masi months, he will not be getting the `best fish' from the sea for his family. He does not know when they will all sit together again for a homemade meal.

He is tired of cars and vans bringing food packets. So are Selva and Karunakaran, who preferred to go hungry than eat puliyodarai. The civic body, which decided to be the sole provider, served food on leaves and tossed it at the residents.

Unlike last night, policemen would not have to clear the beach of garbage as food is brought in vessels and served on leaves.

Now officials provide `dry ration' instead of packed food, though Ashok and company do not have any vessels to spare for cooking.

The residents of Nochikuppam and Doomingkuppam toohave a surfeit of food or clothes.

A rare commodity

Clean drinking water is rare in these areas as are durable shelter and livelihood.

"They are giving us good food and plenty of clothes," said S. Suganthiof Nochi Nagar. "Doctors come here to treat us," she said. "But we can't go to work and all our property is damaged."

"We have water, but it gets over quickly," said Velankanni. Many of them do not have vessels to collect drinking water or stoves to boil it.

Housing a priority

Instead of food and clothes, residents here require houses, said P. Muthulakshmi and her colleagues from the All-India Democratic Women's Association."Our homes have been destroyed. We need to help them rebuild," she said. "We also need to clean the place thoroughly, some of the inner lanes reek of death."

At night, the colonies are deserted. "It will be impossible to sleep peacefully here without wondering when the next wave is going to strike," said Kennedy, a fisherman from Rajiv Gandhi Nagar.

Many of his friends have lost their fishing nets and some their boats. M. Lazar says as daily wage earners, "we need help to go back to work."

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