The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Doctors set up camps in tsunami-hit areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 23, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Doctors set up camps in tsunami-hit areas

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 22. A team of 30 doctors from the Medical Service Centre has set up three base camps in the tsunami-hit areas of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Biswanath Paria, general secretary of the Service Centre, said the team organised relief camps and field hospitals following the Bhopal Gas tragedy and earthquakes in Latur and Bhuj. V. Prasad highlighted the trauma of fishermen who lost their property.

Contributions in Indian currency can be sent in the form of A/C. Payee cheque/Bank Transfer in favour of `Medical Service Centre,' Kolkata and foreign currency in favour of `Calcutta Heart Clinic and Hospital Society,' Kolkata. Contact: 9, Creek Row, Kolkata - 700 014. Phone: 91 33 2246 7286. e-mail: calheart@vsnl.net.

Polyethylene catamarans

The A.M.M. Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre has initiated the manufacture of 15 solar stills and four high-density polyethylene catamarans for distribution in coastal hamlets. It will manufacture more if the State, the Centre, corporate bodies or philanthropists make available funds.

Polyethylene craft require only one person to be put to sea, take six days for fabrication and last 25 years compared to a traditional catamaran that last five or seven years.

The solar water purifier purify saline, brackish or polluted water using producing around 3 litres of potable water a day. Reckitt Benckiser officials, Anne Engerant, and C. M. Sethi, handed over the second shipment of relief materials, containing 2,000 litres of Dettol antiseptic liquid and 20,000 soaps to the Red Cross office. Altogether, the firm has provided over 4,000 litres of antiseptic liquid, 40,000 soaps and 6 lakh Disprin tablets.

The Chennai Police Traffic Wardens' Organisation volunteers conducted relief work at Colachel, Kanyakumari, in association with the NSS volunteers of the Scott Christian Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil.

International YMCA members visited tsunami-affected areas and volunteered to extend financial support.

Fund-raising drive

The staff of Scholastic India and residents of R.V. Nagar, Kodungiyur, led a fund-raising drive for those affected in Nagapattinam. Volunteers distributed relief materials to 400 families at Keechankuppam, Akkarapettai, Vedanayakantheru and Aryanayakantheru which had not received any aid.

The A.V.M. Rajeswari Matriculation Higher Secondary School conducted a relief camp at a village near Kovalam. Provisions, notebooks and pens were distributed to 420 families. A.V.M. K. Shanmugam, school correspondent, Sree Priya Ashok, principal, and Sarojini Varadappan, president of the Red Cross Society led the operations.

The Gandhian Integrated Forum Trust will observe Sarvodaya Fortnight from January 30 to February 12 in tsunami-affected areas. The Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, will inaugurate the event at the Gandhi Mandapam at 5 p.m. For details, contact: P. Maruthi, 36, First Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai-83, Phone: 9444047954.

The NSS students of the Raja Muthiah Higher Secondary School took details of affected persons in Kalpakkam, Angalankuppam, Perunthuravu, Paramankeni and Old Nadukuppam. Cadres in the Chennai Central Educational District collected utensils and other essential items for 110 families at Vadapattinamkuppam.

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