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5,316 houses to be constructed in tsunami hit hamlets

Special Correspondent

Memorandum of Understanding signed with NGOs and Maharashtra Government

Pondicherry: The Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner of Pondicherry B.V. Selvaraj said here on Saturday that 14 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Government of Maharashtra had come together to build houses for the tsunami-hit families and also for their rehabilitation.

He said in a release that the 14 NGOs and the Maharashtra Government had already inked the agreement with the Pondicherry Administration and as many as 5,316 houses in 22 settlements would be constructed. He said that the construction of a good number of houses had already been completed.

He said that SEVAI, a non-governmental organisation, had completed construction of 100 houses in Mandapathur and 15 houses in Nadukalampet in Karaikal region.

The India Heritage Research Foundation had also completed construction of 100 houses in Pannithittu, while the SOS Children's Villages of India had completed construction of 156 houses in Moorthy Pudukuppam village (both in Pondicherry region).

The Rural Development Trust had constructed 65 houses in Vettakara Street here.

World Bank assistance

Mr. Selvaraj said that the Project Implementation Agency here was utilising the World Bank assistance in constructing 46 houses in-situ at Rajiv Gandhi Nagar.

Similarly in-situ construction of houses would be taken up by the Agency.

125 houses would be constructed in MGR Nagar and 286 dwelling units would come up in Thomas Arul Thidal, where eight persons had died in tsunami.

He said that the government had also prepared a detailed programme for consideration and approval by the World Bank for the restoration of livelihood sector as part of reconstruction works. This plan would modernise fishing harbour areas in Pondicherry and also the Karaikal harbour, besides construction of work shelters for fishermen, creation of modern hygienic fish markets and establishment of Information and Knowledge centres among other things.

MoU signed

An MoU was signed with the Pondicherry Multipurpose Social Services Society (PMSSS) on Saturday for the construction of 224 houses in Pattinacherry in Karaikal with an outlay of Rs 4.48 crore.

The site for houses had already been acquired and levelled with the help of the World Bank fund.

Another agreement was signed with PMSSS on May 26 for the construction of 50 houses at Pudukuppam at a cost of Rs 97.86 lakh. Another organisation called Samaritans Helps of India had already started construction of houses and was making progress in the same village, the Commissioner furhter added.

Mr. Selvaraj also chaired on Saturday the eighth round of meeting, which reviewed the reconstruction of houses and also rehabilitation works in the tsunami hit areas in the Union Territory.

Officials of various departments and delegates of the NGOs participated in the deliberations.

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