A blessing to the Tsunami victims!!

SAFE HOMES: Collector R.Palanisamy handing over the keys of permanent houses built by TNRC at Chinna Kottakuppam in Villupuram district on Saturday. He is flanked by H. Abdur Raqeeb, Gen. Secy IFT and K. Dhanraj, MP

A blessing to the Tsunami victims!!
A report by T Azeez Luthfullah

The Tamil Nadu Relief Committee (TNRC) handed over 38 houses to the victims of Tsunami in the village Kottaikuppam near Puducherry today.
Mr A Shabbir Ahmed president JIH presided over the simple ceremony arranged in connection with the noble occasion. Dr. R. Palaniswamy I.A.S, Villupauram District Collector handed over the keys of the newly constructed houses to the victims. Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb, General Secretary, Islamic Foundation Trust(IFT) and member CAC JIH felicitated the organisors and lauded their efforts. He said that the beneficiaries should have a resolve to educate all their children. He hoped a model colony would emerge shedding light of hope and wisdom to the whole of the Kottaikuppam as well as the state. Mr. P. Danraj local MP and Mrs Banumathi Jayamoorthy, local Panchayat Chief congratulated the people behind the mission and pledged all kind of helps to their similar efforts. Mr. Ahmed Meeran a self made man and a committed philanthropist from Chennai and Moulavi Faizur Rahman Madani, Principal, Women's Arabic College, Kottaikuppam also spoke at the occasion.

The TNRC had purchased 1.1 acre and constructed the houses, each measuring 325 sq.ft., at a total cost of Rs 1.25 crore.The habitation has been named as “Samarasam” (harmony/equality). The beneficiaries are fish vendors and petty shopkeepers.
The community hall would be utilised for imparting adult education, giving free tuition to students and counselling for livelihood measures.

TNRC owes its existence to Tsunami, the mass killer. Yes, TNRC was formed when killer waves attacked the shores of Tamil Nadu some years back. TNRC immediately sprung into action and established 100 temporary shelters in lightening speed in Nagapattinam, which was the worst affected town in Tamil Nadu. It also provided Relief Kits comprising of rice, foodgrains, bucket, utensils, soaps, blankets, mattresses etc to 7000 families. When the focus of the world deviated from Tsunami, TNRC continued its mission and got itself engaged in rehabilitation work. Under its innovative and progressive livelihood scheme 500 families were provided with assistance both in cash and kind. TNRC gave top class fibre boats with high power engine and world class fishing nets to sixteen families in Pulicat, a fishing village near Chennai. The smiles on the faces of the boat owners of Pulicat is the everlasting testimony of the pioneering efforts of TNRC. Similarly TNRC established a dairy farm with fifteen fat cows in pudupattinam as a part of its rehabilitation shemes. Keeping the future generations in mind TNRC diversified its efforts and provided educational aid and School kits to 2000 students. The greatest achievement of TNRC stands in the form of Samarasam Nagar in Nagore where it built 100 beautiful houses. Each and every house had been constructed in 400 sq. feet area in a 1300 sq. feet plot. It comprises a drawing room, a hall, a bed room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom with stair case to the terrace. A spacious verandah and sit out is an added attraction.The Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage department (TWAD) has constructed an elegant overhead tank with a capacity of 30,000litres of drinking water and has provided a street pipe for every fifteen (15) houses. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has provided prompt domestic connection and has also erected twenty eight street lamp posts.

The cluster of houses presents a glorious spectacle with the line up of similar looking, beautifully crafted and neatly painted glittering houses dotting the lines. The newly formed colony has been provided with a park and a play ground for the children with all the required facilities too. The colony has been named aptly Samarasam Nagar. Samarasam means peace and harmony.

Now TNRC has added another colourful feather to its crown by distributing 38 houses in Kottaikuppam..! Let us laud their effort and pray for them!!