Cuddalore takes a lead in tsunami reconstruction - NIDM

WORK APACE: Houses being built for fishermen at Veerampattinam in
Puducherry. — Photo: S. S. Kumar
PUDUCHERRY: The tsunami victims' long wait for permanent houses continues even
two years after the tragedy.
A majority of the victims still live in their old houses and some of them in temporary
shelters built where their homes once stood.
The Government proposed to construct 7,567 houses for fishermen in 15 coastal
villages of Puducherry and 19 villages in Karaikal.
As of now, the Government has completed only 1,101 houses. These too have been
built by several non-governmental organisations and Project Implementation Agency,
which the administration floated for rehabilitation.
Unoccupied
However, 98 houses built by the Uttaranchal-based Project Hope India Heritage
Research Foundation at Pannithittu here and handed over on December 13 last year
remain unoccupied. The villagers refused to move in, as the total number of houses
needed was 460.
"Steps are being taken to speed up the process," said G. Theva Neethi Dhas, Collector
and Additional Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation.
As for permanent rehabilitation, he said another 3,787 houses were nearing completion.
A visit to the villages showed at least 1,500 units were ready for occupation.
The Government had also come out with a solution to rehabilitation of people in seven
coastal villages along East Coast Road and near the town, he said.
Relocation of people
The process of relocating the people in the seven villages had run into trouble, what with
differences of opinion between the victim's families and the host population and the nonavailability
of land in the urban area. So, the Government decided to financially assist
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