----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Field Report from Sathya of TTRI
2. Organisations Involved and Contacts
3. Urgent Request from Exnora, Velankanni
4. Meeting for coordination at 3:30 p.m.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD REPORT
Report from Sathya.Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative
Report No.1. Date: 28/12/2004 Time: 1 p.m.
Place visited : Thirumulaivasal (ooratchi) ,Sirgali taluk, Nagapattinam Dt.
People visited: Mr.Kaliyamurthi, Village head, Mr. R.Kunchappan, Head , Mr.Kaliyamurthi. Politician who
has been doing good activity. Village volunteers Mr. Ramesh, Meena . Head (SHG)
The village people could be reached through Mr.Ramesh 9865041419 / Mr.Thilagavannan 9842864510

This place consists of various types of communities. The community and the population are as under
a) Fisherman community- Boat / Cattumaran accounts for 750 families and about 3500 population. All of them
are affected.
b) Smalltime (ullnattu – Sembadavan ) fisherman community – 50 families about 300 population. All of
them are affected.
c) Muslim population about 1000 families and about 4000 population. out of which 200 families are
affected.
d) BC / vanniar community about 100 families and all of them are affected
e) SC / Harijan about 50 families all of them are affected.

The problems faced by them:
a) The sea water / tidal wave at even 50 feet entered into the hamlets upto 2km on one side and 3 km on other side.
b) About 59 bodies were found and identified. and they believe about 100 bodies would still be buried and yet
to be recovered. Mostly it would be in the ruined huts / building or even in small ponds / water logging
areas. Only after few days it would come out.
c) Almost all the fisherman hutments were ruined and all the buildings upto 200 metres have collapsed.
d) The water clogged here for a day at the height of 5 feet. Which means lot of children could have been under the water and when the structures collapsed it fell on them, they could have been buried under the debris.
e) They are waiting for the JCB and got one round of clearing and lot more to be done on this. This needs serious attention. The people there don’t have even minimum implements like crowbars, spades, etc to work with and they wait for vehicles to arrive. So THIS GOT TO BE GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY. Also note that the water got into the village and lot of clogging is there and lot of dead animals not properly disposed. Bodies of humans could also be there. We need to see whether the water could be sucked out from these areas???
f) They all stay in the temple or schools or mandapam and are provided with food by all surrounding NGOs and
they don’t have any major problem with that. Few of the villagers have left their place for the time being and has gone to their relatives house.
g) The fisherman community the widely affected lot are worried about their living. All their nets are gone. There were about 70 boats (with or with motor) About 200 kattumaran were in use by the fisherman. Most of them are destroyed. This need to be actually assessed. All the nets were destroyed for sure.
h) There is a minimum health care center.Study about Casualties and detailed analysis of health problems /
care is not yet done by us.
In all Minimum thing is being done. And all of them are looking in for food for the next one month and willing to work in there village for rebuilding their houses / huts etc. Looking forward for the support on the economic front.
V.Sathyamurthy
S.Ashok Kumar, Volunteer, CIKS
--------------------------------------------------------------------
TAMILNADU TSUNAMI RELIEF INITIATIVE (TTRI): ORGANISATIONS PROMOTING / ASSOCIATED WITH THE NETWORK IN CHENNAI
1. Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Bhaktargal Peravai - contact Sathyamurthy, Co-ordinator, m: 9444364212
2. CIOSA Network of about 110 Voluntary Agencies in Chennai, this group is co-ordinating the efforts for chennai based relief work - contact Karthik Venkatesh, Executive Director, m: 9382758033
3. Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems, the field teams of CIKS have already done survey and are co-ordinating relief work, contact: Sri. Arumugaswamy m:9443164538
4. CII Social Panel headed by Sri. Pandia Rajan, MD of Ma Foi Consultants Ltd., The CII Contact person: Ms.Mary Stella, m:9841275613
5. Gandhi Study Centre, Sri. Annamalai, Director, 24346549
6. Rejuvenate India Movement, Sri. Rangarajan, Co-ordinator (m: 9444208635)
7. SEVA, Madurai: Sri. Vivekanandan, (0452-22380082)
8. DHL Couriers, Sri. Suresh Joseph (m: 9840323894)
9. Gandhi Darshan Kendra, Sri. P.N. Srinivasan Ph: 22234453
10. SAMANVAYA
---------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Urgent Request from Exnora Velankanni
Blankets in any numbers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4. A coordination meeting will be held at the Gandhi Study Centre at the Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya at Venkatnarayana Road, T. Nagar. this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
Individual volunteers, agencies, institutions willing to participate can join the meeting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tamilnadu Tsunami Relief Initiative
Samanvaya:Knowledge Services for the Development Sector - www.samanvaya.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------