The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Efforts are on to speed up tsunami rehabilitation works, says M.K. Stalin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 29, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Efforts are on to speed up tsunami rehabilitation works, says M.K. Stalin

Special Correspondent

Minister inaugurates Tata Colony, hands over keys to 828 beneficiaries "10,216 permanent houses have so far been constructed in Nagapattinam district out of the targeted 19,641"

SAFE HOMES: Kishor A. Chaukar, MD Tata Industries Limited (right), handing over a symbolic key to M.K. Stalin, Local Administration Minister, at the inauguration of Tata Colony for tsunami victims in Nagapattinam district. — Photo: M. Srinat h

NAGAPATTINAM: The Government has taken special efforts to complete tsunami rehabilitation works, including construction of permanent houses, in Nagapattinam district, Minister for Local Administration M.K. Stalin said on Saturday.

Inaugurating Tata Colony, comprising 828 permanent houses and two community amenity centres, built by the Tata Relief Committee at a cost of Rs. 22 crore at Akkaraipettai here, Mr. Stalin said Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, immediately after assuming charge, had convened a meeting of Collectors of the tsunami-hit districts and directed them to speed up the rehabilitation works.

He Minister pointed out that the Government had also asked non-government organisations engaged in construction of permanent houses to speed up the work.

Mr. Stalin said 10,216 permanent houses had so far been constructed in Nagapattinam district out of the targeted 19,641. The Government had acquired 291 hectares at 79 places in the district and handed over the land to the NGOs.

Mr. Stalin said the Government would construct 1,291 permanent houses in Nagapattinam district at a cost of Rs. 27.11 crore, as some NGOs, to whom the work had been entrusted, failed to build them.

The Minister handed over keys of 828 houses to the beneficiaries at the function.

Kishor A.Chaukar, Managing Director of the Tata Industries Limited and Chairman of the Tata Council for Community Initiatives, said each house was constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.5 lakh.

Infrastructure

The Tata Relief Committee had also provided infrastructure in the colony including a sewage treatment plant, two community amenity centres, desalination plant, solar-powered streetlights and two village knowledge centres.

He pointed out that the Government had provided 14.75 acres of land to the TRC for construction of the houses.

Collector Tenkasi S. Jawahar said a 2.8-km cement road would be laid in the colony.

Minister for Dairy Development U. Mathivanan, Nagapattinam MP A.K.S. Vijayan and Nagapattinam MLA V. Marimuthu spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu