The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Students to help Mumbai institute compile data on loss

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Students to help Mumbai institute compile data on loss

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, JAN. 8. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, in association with international non-government agencies, will make a scientific assessment to generate an accurate data on the damage caused in terms of loss of lives and materials by the tsunami strike in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu by involving 1,500 social work students from various colleges.

A meeting of the faculty and students of the Social Work Department from 11 affiliated colleges of Bharathidasan University was convened at Bishop Heber College here on Friday by Rev. Joseph Xavier, faculty, TISS, to discuss the modalities for the students to carry out the professional survey by infusing in them a sense of commitment. Scientific schedules containing simple questions would be used by the students to ascertain the loss of life and property after the victims return to their homes, which was now the focus of the Government machinery.

Conducting a survey at this juncture was not advisable since a number of people living in the relief camps in Nagapattinam district were not actual victims but those from nearby areas who wanted to capitalise on the Government announcement of monetary and other forms of compensation. The survey was planned to be undertaken for a 20-day period from January 15 with the support of the respective district administrations and the State Government's permission.

Findings of the detailed assessment, which would cost about Rs.45 lakhs, would be made available to international aid agencies looking for factual information to carry out relief work. The TISS, which has expertise in similar exercises following earthquakes that rocked Latur and Bhuj in Gujarat besides the Bhopal gas leak tragedy, was particular to prevent the eventuality of non-government organisations working at cross purposes in the affected areas, said Fr. Joseph Xavier after a visit to the tsunami-affected coastal districts in the State.

There have been conflicting reports of the casualty figure as only the deaths of locals were accounted for by the district administration. For instance, accurate information about the deaths of pilgrims to Velankanni and two busloads of Ayyappa devotees in Kanyakumari were not available so far. The comprehensive assessment was aimed at arriving at precise statistics of the number of victims who were orphaned, destitute, disabled etc., by collating information from various sources, he said.

If not property, thousands of lives could have been saved had the warning signals been heeded. There was a six-hour gap between the tsunami strikes at Chennai and Kanyakumari. Several NGOs, he said, were working without an understanding of logistics. Their misreading of the displaced victims' food and clothing habits had resulted in heavy wastage of relief materials.

Arrangements for food and clothing of the students during their stay would be taken care of by the TISS. As a safety measure, the students would also be immunised against epidemics, assured Fr. Joseph Xavier.

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