Monday, January 17, 2005
Bit of news from Chennai
Here is an update from Biju about the situation in Chennai/ Pattinappakam.
“Two days back I visited Pattinappakam (fishermen area), which is one of the most affected areas in Chennai. I could see people staying in the roadsides making their own house with cloths. While enquired the situation to the people, they say that government has promised that they will construct new houses for them in areas far away from the sea. I also noticed a group of around 100 people sitting in a small area spread all over and being silent.
At that time, there came a green Tata Sumo with 3 people inside. As the sumo rushed to the seashore, people gathered around in multitude from nearby places and formed a big queue thinking that they are going to get something from them; to their surprise, the sumo left the place immediately ruining their little hopes.
After a while came a van and a Maruti car carrying a group of Hare Rama Hare Krishna devotees (religious group) dressed up in white. The group started singing songs while playing drums and distributed food for the people around.
Anyway, they get food from somebody; but the main factor is they don't have a safe place to stay right now. Since there were many policemen surrounding us and it was late evening, we couldn't take photographs. People are not satisfied with the help they are getting. Torn fisherman nets, tattered boats, houses bearing huge cracks on the walls upto 20 meters and unshaped roads are the common scenes everywhere. Around 50 people lost their lives from that particular place itself.
All we could see around is silent people with fear and sorrow in their faces. Though we left the place studying the current situation and their immediate needs; the tales of terror will remain in our heart for ever”.
“Two days back I visited Pattinappakam (fishermen area), which is one of the most affected areas in Chennai. I could see people staying in the roadsides making their own house with cloths. While enquired the situation to the people, they say that government has promised that they will construct new houses for them in areas far away from the sea. I also noticed a group of around 100 people sitting in a small area spread all over and being silent.
At that time, there came a green Tata Sumo with 3 people inside. As the sumo rushed to the seashore, people gathered around in multitude from nearby places and formed a big queue thinking that they are going to get something from them; to their surprise, the sumo left the place immediately ruining their little hopes.
After a while came a van and a Maruti car carrying a group of Hare Rama Hare Krishna devotees (religious group) dressed up in white. The group started singing songs while playing drums and distributed food for the people around.
Anyway, they get food from somebody; but the main factor is they don't have a safe place to stay right now. Since there were many policemen surrounding us and it was late evening, we couldn't take photographs. People are not satisfied with the help they are getting. Torn fisherman nets, tattered boats, houses bearing huge cracks on the walls upto 20 meters and unshaped roads are the common scenes everywhere. Around 50 people lost their lives from that particular place itself.
All we could see around is silent people with fear and sorrow in their faces. Though we left the place studying the current situation and their immediate needs; the tales of terror will remain in our heart for ever”.
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