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| TSUNAMI RESPONSE IN TAMIL NADU | ||
| PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2006 | ||
| AREA OF OPERATION | ||
| The Tsunami Response Program in Tamil Nadu is being carried out through the 8 diocesan partners covering the coastal area from Chennai to Kanyakumari. The extent of their working area is given below in the table. | ||
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| The Immediate Humanitarian Relief and Intermediate Re-Settlement Relief Phases were completed successfully and all the partners are working on the Rehabilitation activities. The Rehabilitation activities can be broadly classified as follows: | ||
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| Under each sector the activities are progressing in an efficient manner with help and guidance from the sector specialists. The activities of the Tsunami Response Program are coordinated by the Caritas Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation Coordination Centre which networks with the various partners and stakeholders. The State Level Coordination Meetings which are held regularly help in information sharing and to address common issues and challenges. Continuous monitoring and evaluation is being done at the diocesan level as well as from Caritas level. This helps in ensuring that qualitative services are rendered. The detailed activities carried out in the month of February are given below. | ||
| LIVELIHOOD | ||
| FISHING RELATED ACTIVITIES | ||
| The Diocesan Social Service Societies have helped in restoring the livelihood of the fishermen community by replacing lost livelihood assets like boats, engines, nets, catamarans, vallams, vathais etc as well as repairing boats and engines which were damaged. The repairing activities have been completed and a total of 349 boats and 585 engines have been repaired | ||
| The types of livelihood assets replaced depend on the types of crafts used by the particular community. They are area-specific. The following table gives an idea as to which kind of livelihood equipment was given in each area. | ||
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| NON-FISHING RELATED ACTIVITIES | ||
| Chengelpet: In the scope of providing alternate livelihood, CRDS is conducting carpentry training for 20 youth who could be meaningfully employed after completion of the training. | |
| Pondycherry: Many youth have taken up courses for alternate livelihood like A/C mechanism, wheel alignment, automobile course, electrical course, cell phone mechanism, welding from different institutions offering these courses like Pondycherry ITI, St. Joseph’s ITI, Cuddalore and SISI. Fancy bag production unit is going on at Vaithikuppam. Mushroom culture unit & vermi compost unit are functioning in Devanampattinam. Drumstick seeds, paddy seeds, jasmine plants have been distributed to farmers. | |
| South Arcot: Financial assistance has been given to start petty shop. SAMSS offers training in EDP, Leadership & Issue based training and Job placement. Under job placement, 195 companies & 330 candidates have been enrolled. 60 have been placed in jobs.26 students received career guidance and counseling. In Eco-Balancing programme training is given to farmers on sustainable agriculture. | |
| Thanjavur: Tailoring unit is functioning effectively in South Poigainallur, Pushvanam & Maniantheevu. | |
| Tuticorin: Income generation equipments/ materials were distributed to 8 villages. The third batch of JCB training has been started with 59 students. Driving courses are functioning efficiently and new batch of students are being taken from different villages. The first batch of Shipping Management/ Office Secretary Course has been completed and exam is scheduled to take place on the 3rd & 4th of March. | |
| Kottar: 71 women were helped to restore livelihood for improved alternate livelihood. | |
| Sivagangai: Afforestation is a major activity taken up by SMSSS. Nursery has been raised at Pasipattinam & Soliyakudi. Spade work is done at Nambuthalai. Training was conducted at Uppoor, Pasipattinam & Thondi. Exposure program was arranged for 22 leaders from the project villages to Chithambaram & Pitchavaram Mangrove forest on 21st & 22nd February 2006. | |
| SHELTER | ||
| In Tamil Nadu, approximately 8000 permanent shelters are to be constructed. The land is allotted by the Government in most of the places. In situ construction is done in one DSSS due to non-availability of land. The external facilities are to be provided by the Government. | ||
| OVERVIEW | ||
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| Contract yet to be finalized for 3552 houses. | ||
| MONTHLY PROGRESS- FEBRUARY 2006 | ||
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| MSSS | ||
| MoU has been signed with the Collector of Tiruvallur District. Agreement with the PMC has been made on the 27th of February 2006. Land survey, soil testing, master plan and house design being taken up | ||
| CRDS | ||
| Land not available; hence construction is to be done in situ. | ||
| I | Drawings approved by Government and work commenced in 4 villages. | |
| a | Semmanchery | |
| b | Kadalur Periya Kuppam | |
| c | Thazhuthali Kuppam | |
| d | Panaiyur Chinna Kuppam | |
| II | Drawings approved by Government for 3 villages. | |
| a | Meyyur Kuppam | |
| b | Sadras (N & S) Kuppam | |
| c | Pudupatinam Kuppam | |
| PMSSS | ||
| All 648 houses in Devanampattinam have been completed. Inauguration scheduled for 2nd March 2006. For 210 houses at Karaikal, land filling is to be done by Government. | ||
| SAMSSS | ||
| Work is in progress for 392 houses and 68 houses are to be started. | ||
| TMSSS (Thanjavur) Most of the areas require filling as they are low-lying areas. | ||
| TMSSS (Tuticorin) | ||
| In Kallamozhi, soil condition is poor hence progress is slow. Shuttering is being used for earth work. Land for 300 houses to be given at Kuthankuli Land demarcation by Government and layout to be finalized | ||
| KSSS | ||
| At Colachel salt pan area, land filling is completed; after soil testing design of foundation is to be finalized. | ||
| COMMUNITY ORGANISATION | ||
| Under community organization, Self Help Groups (SHGs) are formed, trained and equipped to become sustainable. SHGs can consist of women, men, youth, physically challenged, widows, children etc. The community is organized into such groups and capacitated to contribute towards the development of the community as a whole. Individuals of the groups | ||
| Chennai: The Programme Coordinator of MSSS, Mr. Joseph attended the consultation meeting on Livelihood organized by Chennai NGOs Coordination Committee. On 12th February 2006 there was a network meeting at Loyola College with network members & Loyola professors on the programmes & budget of network project. | |
| Chengelpet: CRDS participated in the De-Briefing by Desk Officers at Hotel Breeze, Chennai and the PMC workshop at Trichy on Sanitation issues. | |
| Pondycherry: Participated in Global Strategy & Capacity building guidelines, 2 days’ workshop on Disaster Preparedness & Response in Karl Kubel, 2 days’ workshop on Rural Technologies & 3 days’ seminar on long term rehabilitation of tsunami victims on health. Formation of Cuddalore Resource centre took place on 16th February 2006. | |
| South Arcot: The Director & the PMC attended the State level PMC workshop held in Trichy. | |
| Tuticorin: Regular contact with the NGOs working in the Tsunami affected areas is being kept especially with RUC which is working in 2 villages namely Idinthakarai & Perumanal. | |
| Kottar: KSSS actively participated in coordination meetings held within and outside the diocesan structures. | |
| Sivagangai: Coordination meeting was organized for the staff working in the Tsunami affected areas of Thiruvadanai, Mandapam & Kadaladi blocks. Coordination meetings like this help the staff to capacitate themselves as well as share and learn from each other. | |
| GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | ||
| The Government maintains cordial relations with Caritas and our implementing partners due to the remarkable work carried out in all the target areas. The cooperation and participation of the Government authorities is seen in all the places. Though the District Administration pressurizes the partners to complete the work soon, on the whole they are supportive and encouraging knowing that Caritas would not compromise in quality of services rendered. | ||
| Chennai: A community meeting was organized by MSSS at Sattankuppam village to discuss on the Shelter programme. The panchayath presidents attended this meeting and expressed their assurance to cooperate with the shelter construction programmes. The District Administration has agreed to provide for all external services like road, electricity, drinking water, common facilities like school, community hall & balwadi. | |
| Chengelpet: In the month of February, the SDC was met on various occasions to hand over beneficiaries list, letter and drawings, to clarify drawings and doubts regarding the shelter programme. | |
| Pondycherry: Weekly meetings of NGOs with Cuddalore District are held on Monday afternoons. PMSSS maintains excellent relations with the local administration and the facilitating role of Government is good. The issue of left out beneficiaries for permanent houses has been brought to the District Administration and efforts are being made for reconciliation. | |
| South Arcot: The Collectors’ meeting which is held every week is attended regularly by the PMC. | |
| Thanjavur: The relations with the local Government is good. The shelter team member Ms. Gertrud & Fr. Sengole discussed with Additional Collector regarding permanent house work at Nagapattinam District on 10th February 2006. | |
| Sivagangai: Good relationship is maintained with the District Administration as well as the Forest Department. | |
| VISITS | ||
| Visitors from Caritas, CRS, Government, Funding Partners as well as other NGOs regularly visit the DSSS and the target areas for various purposes. These visits help in confirming that the project is moving forward in the right direction and there is progress in the activities undertaken. | ||
| Chennai: Monthly review & planning meetings of the project staff, monthly NGO coordination meeting, regular field visits & meeting with the District Administration & Fisheries Department are ways of monitoring & evaluation followed by MSSS. | |
| Pondycherry: Monthly staff meetings, weekly area meeting, field visits by the program coordinator & Director as well as the monthly DSSS meeting help in monitoring and evaluating the project. | |
| South Arcot: Weekly reports submitted by the staff and monthly reports submitted by the animators serve as monitoring tools for the progress of the program. | |
| Tuticorin: On February 6th training programme was conducted for Special Coordinator, Coordinator & Animators. The team members had interaction with the youth attending vocational training on February 3rd & 4th. | |
| Kottar: The programmes are monitored by Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation team under tsunami relief & rehabilitation coordinator. At village level this team facilitates the monitoring skills of village development council. Monthly as well as weekly review meetings are held for evaluating the programme. | |
| Sivagangai: Monitoring & Evaluation of the programme is done in the R.P.T meeting organized regularly. | |
| CHALLENGES | ||
| Unforeseen Challenges are faced in different sectors as work progresses. But they are resolved either by the DSSS themselves or through the guidance of the Caritas team. | ||
| Chennai: A payment of Rs 1000/ has to be made for getting the house plan approved by the local panchayath which was not an expected expense. Negotiations are going on to address this problem. In Kottaikuppam area due to the increase in number of boats, the passage for moving the boats into the sea and for parking the boats has become congested. Hence there is a need for deepening of the canal to prevent damages to the boats. | |
| Chengelpet: Other NGOs interfere with the SHGs formed by CRDS which is in the process of being resolved. | |
| Pondycherry: The Pondycherry Govt. has not yet found suitable land for construction of permanent houses in Periyakalapet and efforts are being made to expedite the process. Collecting back the principal revolving fund from the SHGs is a major challenge. | |
| Thanjavur: Community centre problem at Vailankanni Konar Thoopu site. TMSSS is forced by the District Administration to do the work of leveling and sand filling as the other NGOs are doing. | |
| Tuticorin: In Koothankuzi, due to local problems materials are not being finalized. | |
| Sivagangai: As there are very few carpenters available in Rameshwaram Island, there is an unavoidable delay in manufacturing the Vathais. By the end of March 2006 the distribution of fishing crafts would be completed. | |
| IMPORTANT EVENTS | ||
| Chennai: Commissioning of boats at Naduvourkuppam village, Pazhaverkadu area was blessed by Most Rev.Dr. A. M. Chinnappa, Chairperson, MSSS on 17th February 2006. | |
| Chengelpet: Desk Officers visit- Ms. Mary Lucas, Ms. Pauline Mackeowen from CAFOD, Dr. Reinhard A. Wurkner from Caritas Germany, Mr. Santhus & Ms. Annie from Caritas India. | |
| South Arcot: MoU for permanent shelter at Azhagankuppam was signed on 20th February. A one day workshop called “Kalvi Karutharangu” was organized in collaboration with few other NGOs & the youth group of Anumandaikuppam in which 700 students participated. | |
| Pondycherry: Fishing at Cuddalore OT Sea for half an hour fetched 30kg fish worth Rs. 3000. Disaster Preparedness Training inaugurated by Lt. Governor of Pondycherry on 6th February 2006. Skill training in collaboration with CII had been launched. | |
| TSUNAMI RELIEF & REHABILITATION COORDINATION CENTRE | ||
| VISITS | ||
| The Desk Officers of the International Funding Partners visited the Diocesan partners and the working areas from February 1st to 4th. | |
| Visit of Mr. Karl Ammann, Caritas Germany from February 11th to 23rd to the Coordination Centre and some of the dioceses. | |
| COORDINATION | ||
| A one-day consultation meeting was organized by EDMS department on Mangrove afforestation on 19th at Trichy Multipurpose Social Service Society. At the end of the workshop it was decided to review the works carried so far by other NGOs and Government on these lines. This task of reviewing will be done by Dr. Jayasree and Dr. Priya from Pondicherry University. | |
| On 20th February the Shelter team organized a workshop for the Project Management Consultants (PMC) of all the dioceses involved in permanent shelter construction. The PMCs presented on the progress in their area of operation. Dr. S. Sundaramoorthy was the resource person for session on Water & Sanitation. | |
| The Coordination Centre organized a one day consultation on CBDP (Community Based Disaster Preparedness) on 21st February at Tamilnadu Social Service Society (TASOSS), in which the shelter team, livelihood team, Mr. Haridhas, Mr. Karl Ammann, Fr. Xavier & the PSOs participated. Presentations were made by Ms. Milan & Ms. Annie on the 2nd phase of the ToT in Kolkatta and by Mr. Karl Amman on “Mainstreaming CBDP”. It has been decided to organize an orientation for the Directors .TASOSS and Coordination centre will take lead to organize the same. | |
| TRAININGS | ||
| The Karl Kubel Institute for Development Education (KKID) organized a 3 days workshop on Disaster Preparedness & Response from February 14th to 16th in which Mr. Santhus & Fr. Ratchagar, PMSSS participated. | |
| Mr. Santhus participated in National Workshop on Community Based Disaster Risk Management on February 27th & 28th at Delhi. | |
| IMPORTANT EVENTS | ||
| The De-briefing of the Desk Officers visit was held on 4th February at Hotel Breeze, Chennai where the desk officers gave their feedback and suggestions based on their visits to the project areas. | |
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