The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : USAID focus on disaster preparedness in six districts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 06, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

USAID focus on disaster preparedness in six districts

Staff Reporter

U.S. `working closely with NGOs, State and affected communities'

SANITATION FACILITY: David T. Hopper, Consul General, United States Consulate, Chennai, inaugurating the system of collecting garbage by tricycle in Kathivakkam Municipality on Tuesday. — Photo: R. Sivaji Rao

Chennai : The US Agency for International Development's (USAID) support is targeted at improving disaster preparedness in six coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, David T. Hopper, U.S. Consul General in Chennai, said on Tuesday, while inaugurating sanitation systems in the coastal hamlets of Chinnakuppam, Injambakkam and Periyakuppam.

A programme linking the cities of Cuddalore and Nagapattinam with the U.S. cities in the State of Florida, which are highly prone to disasters, is also ongoing, he said.

He said that through USAID, the U.S. Government was working with local NGOs in close co-operation with local government officials and communities to address the needs of those affected.

"Our support has progressed through two phases - relief and transition," he said pointing out that approximately $4 million were distributed using NGO networks focusing on water and sanitation, solid waste management, education, psycho-social support and restoring livelihoods.

During the transition and recovery phase, $14 million were provided as funds, he said. The U.S. would continue to support those affected by the tsunami till the programme finishes in September 2007, he said.

Mr. Hopper inaugurated individual household toilets with wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) and solid waste management programmes.

Ranvir Prasad, Tiruvallur District Collector, said that a tsunami vulnerability map was being prepared. But this did not mean that people would be forced to vacate vulnerable zones, he said.

P. Kubendran, Kathivakkam Municipal Commissioner, said that a new drinking water scheme for Rs. 6 crore would soon be in place for Kathivakkam. A.L. Rangarajan, programme-coordinator, said that Exnora was providing solid waste management facilities in 28 habitations covering 13,840 tsunami activities in the five tsunami-affected districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari.

Exnora had constructed 121 individual household toilets at the fishing hamlets. Support has also been provided for developing community waste management programmes. Approximately 400 houses in the Chinnakuppam and Periyakuppam villages have received waste bins. Sanitary workers would collect the segregated waste and bring it to the segregation yard for composting and disposal, he said.

Paul McVey, Tsunami Recovery Programme Manager, USAID, Nalini Keshavaraj, Programme Manager, Tamil Nadu Tsunami Resource Centre and members of Exnora International participated.

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