Tamil Nadu - Ramanathapuram   

Collectors told to accommodate Sri Lankan refugees in camps

C. Jaishankar

Government directive following sudden influx from the island nation The Revenue officials on Saturday shifted 83 refugees to camps functioning in other districts in the State

RAMANATHAPURAM: The Government has issued a directive to all District Collectors to take steps to accommodate refugees arriving from Sri Lanka in the camps functioning in their respective districts, according to the Collector, K.S. Muthuswamy.

He said on Friday that the directive was given following a sudden increase in the arrival of refugees. Nearly 8,000 people could be accommodated in the Mandapam refugees' camp. More than 7,000 refugees arrived from Sri Lanka during the last eight months. Out of them, 3,600 were transferred to other camps in the State, on request from refugees.

The increase in the arrival of refugees was due to the ongoing fierce fighting in Sri Lanka between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). All refugees who reached Rameswaram Island had been given asylum on humanitarian ground.

Authorities at the Mandapam camp were asked to provide them all facilities. Mr. Muthuswamy said 103 camps were functioning in the State.

83 shifted

Following the directive, the Revenue officials on Saturday shifted 83 refugees, belonging to 22 families, from Mandapam to camps functioning in other districts. They belonged to 22 families and included 26 children and 25 women. The families themselves opted for moving to other camps.

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Collectors told to accommodate Sri Lankan refugees in camps

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