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Fishermen design, build their own houses

PUDUCHERRY: Several fishermen living in four coastal villages here have started designing and constructing houses on their own with funds from the territorial administration.

Under the in-situ reconstruction programme funded by the World Bank, the fishermen will design and execute the project themselves.

The territorial administration has started the process to disburse a sum of Rs. 2.8 lakh to each of the beneficiaries to construct houses in the existing places. More than 1,000 houses will be constructed under the new housing component programme for tsunami-affected fishermen at Sholai Nagar South, Sholai Nagar North, Vambakkerapalyam and Dubrayapet.

“The scheme is different from other housing programmes taken up for tsunami-affected fishermen. In this programme, the government will only provide the money. Construction has started in almost all villages and the amount will be released to the beneficiaries in five stages,” Collector G. Ragesh Chandra told The Hindu.

The World Bank had already released Rs. 75 crore to the territorial administration for the programme. Though the government would provide only Rs. 2.8 lakh, the fishermen were free to spend their own money to construct a costlier house, Mr. Chandra said.

A visit to Sholai Nagar South revealed that a good number of fishermen had spent extra money to add value to their houses. “Estimates have been prepared to the tune of even Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh to build houses,” a fishermen in the village said.

Now with the permanent rehabilitation process nearing the final stage, the government had shifted its focus on creating proper infrastructure to enhance the livelihood of fishermen. The consultants appointed by the government have prepared detailed project reports for implementing various schemes. Along with the report, the government had submitted relevant documents to the World Bank for approval to carry out these projects, which would cost Rs. 112 crore.

Since the schemes were funded by the World Bank, the government should get the approval of the bank in every stage of its implementation. The schemes included development of fishing harbour at the Puducherry and Karaikal regions, fishermen work shelters in both the regions and construction of modern fish markets, Mr. Chandra said.

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