Chennai/Porayar: With tears in their
eyes, family members Saturday remembered those swallowed by the
deadly tsunami on the Tamil Nadu coast five years ago that
left over 8000 dead.
Candlelight processions and ceremonies to offer
prayers to the deceased were held all over the state.
The giant waves triggered by undersea tremors in
Indonesia had caused the tsunami, one of India's biggest
post-Independence natural calamities, both by the number of
lives lost, and the magnitude of the disaster.
Even before the fisher folk residing along the sea and
morning walkers on the black Sunday in Chennai could realise
what was happening, the gushing sea had turned the beach into
a watery grave.
The government has pumped in crores of rupees towards
rehabilitation of the affected, with many not for profit
organisations also doing their bit.
In Nagapattinam, one of the worst-hit by the killer
waves which claimed over 6000 lives and rendered about a lakh
homeless in the district, painful memories of the tsunami
still linger, but people have moved on.
The district now is bustling with activity and the
economy thriving with gainful employment for the youth in both
organised and unorganised sectors.
There is a sea change in the livelihood, as well as
lifestyle of the people. Large-scale employment opportunities
have been generated for the youth of the district in both
organised and unorganised sectors.
Children of tsunami-hit areas now have access to high
quality English medium education, which was absent earlier,
while the youth have taken up entrepreneurial ventures.
The fishing community, the worst-hit, are a happy lot
having fibreglass boats and other fishing equipment. More
than 19,000 families have been provided with permanent houses.
According to NGO volunteers engaged in rehabilitation of
the affected, the people of the area did not attach much
importance to education earlier. Most children dropped out
from schools to take up fishing, but post-tsunami the
situation has changed. Lured by the facilities provided by the
schools, the children are happily attending schools, they
said.
Top multinational companies have started English medium
schools. Consumer electronics giant Samsung India has opened a
school at Chinnangudi village near Tarangmabadi.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's International Association for Human
Values (IAHV) has opened an integrated education complex at
Anaikoil village near Porayar.
The Mata Amirtanandamayee Math is providing free computer
training for youths and children and free hostel accommodation
for college students in various parts of the district.
The St Joseph's Development Trust (SJDT), a
Karur-based NGO, with the help of NGOs in Germany and Denmark,
has revolutionized the concept of evening classes for tsunami
hit children. SOS Children's Villages of India and UNICEF have
contributed substantially for improving facilities in the
schools of tsunami-hit villages, the volunteers said.
A study conducted by Rejuvenate India Movement (RIM), an
NGO, in over eight tsunami-hit villages in Tarangambadi taluk
of Nagapattinam district has revealed a remarkable improvement
in the learning skills of tsunami-hit students.
NGO volunteer, Chandrasekaran of Hope Foundation, which
conducts free vocational training for the tsunami-hit youth at
Nagapattinam and Tarangambadi, said a large number of
youngsters had taken up alternative employment and many have
already found employment in MNCs.
About 40 percent of the women of tsunami-hit areas have
become entrepreneurs and are making products like footwear,
leather articles, pickles and coir products.
Many other women have embarked on modern fish marketing
activities, tailoring, mobile canteens, handicrafts making and
even driving and masonry, NGO sources said.
Besides formation of self-help groups have also helped
the district's economy to grow.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, December 26, 2009, 14:13