The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Rajya Sabha team advocates building of orphanages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rajya Sabha team advocates building of orphanages

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM, FEB. 3. A three-member team of Rajya Sabha MPs today said that orphanages for children who lost their parents in the tsunami and homes for widows and the elderly should be constructed with all infrastructure facilities. The team, led by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K. Rahman Khan, visited the tsunami-affected areas of Nagapattinam today.

Mr. Khan told The Hindu : "We are here to take up some long-term permanent infrastructure rehabilitation project. We have taken note of the projects that we can take up and also the amount that can be released from the MPs Local Area Development Fund for the rehabilitation of tsunami victims."

`Fishermen, worst hit'

He said the team had made the visit to do an on-the-spot study of the relief and rehabilitation work.

Answering a question, the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman said: "We are very happy that the Government, NGOs and district administration have taken up rehabilitation measures." The fishing community was worst hit. Their demands for resettlement at least a kilometre away from the coast and for replacement of boats and nets was reasonable, he said.

Report to Parliament

Mr. Khan and the two Rajya Sabha Members, C. Perumal and Prsanta Chatterjee, met the Nagapattinam Collector, J. Radhakrishnan, at the Collectorate here this evening. The team would submit its report to the Parliament at the earliest. They would discuss with the Chief Minister and State Government officials, tomorrow at Chennai, the need for the construction of model and viable orphanages and old age homes.

Mr. Radhakrishnan took the team to the temporary shelters built for the tsunami-affected families and to the Annai Sathiya Memorial Government orphanage where 99 children who lost their parents in the tsunami were staying.

The team visited Akkaraipettai, Keechankuppam, Kallar and Vailankanni coastal areas.

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