The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Set up watchdog panels, says CPI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 02, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Set up watchdog panels, says CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN.1. The State unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) urged the Government to take immediate steps to rehabilitate people in the tsunami-hit areas, particularly in the coastal belt, so as to match the voluntary response from the public cutting across political, community and caste affiliations.

The State CPI secretary, R. Nallakannu, who led the party's fact-finding team to the affected areas, told reporters here today that the Government should appoint watchdog panels comprising representatives of local bodies, political parties and non-governmental organisations at the village, block and district levels to oversee the work.

Though the calamity had left indelible scars in people's minds "it is heartening to see the spontaneous response from the people in extending a helping hand to the victims," he said. Political parties NGOs, welfare organisations and traders' associations quickly responded by rushing assistance much ahead of arrival of Police and Revenue personnel to the affected areas.

Interned with honour

The CPI team came to know that bodies of victims belonging to different communities were buried with honour in Nagore, due to the initiative of the trustees of the Nagore Andavar Dargah. Hindu, Christian and Muslim organisations conducted health and blood donation camps in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Kanyakumari districts. While Government personnel felt hesitant to remove decomposed bodies without gloves and stretchers, the NGOs carried out the job with available material. "All these gestures only show that humanism has not dissipated or disappeared," he said.

The colossal nature of the damage and the way officials handled the situation also indicated that the administration alone would not be able to fulfil the task of providing relief and rehabilitation, Mr. Nallakannu said.

Priority

Top priority should be given to providing safe drinking water in the affected areas, he said, calling for steps to ensure re-settlement of the displaced people in their villages and restoration of their livelihood.

Interaction with the locals revealed that 40 per cent of the victims in the coastal districts were children and many families had lost one generation. It was pathetic to note that devotees from other districts and neighbouring States came to Velankanni in search of their loved ones till December 29.

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