Date:03/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/03/stories/2005010305240400.htm

Tamil Nadu

CPI seeks drinking water for Pazhaverkadu

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 2. The secretary of the State unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI), R. Nallakannu, today urged the Government to take immediate steps to provide drinking water and health facilities to the residents of villages in the Pazhaverkadu area.

Shortly after visiting the Thaangal Perumbalam, Lighthouse, Kottakuppam and Pazhaverkadupanchayats, he said that over one lakh persons residing in 34 villages were badly in need of relief and rehabilitation.

The fishermen told the CPI team that potable water was not available and that well water in most villages had become saline owing to seawater inundation .

The tsunami had killed 20 persons in this area.

Fishermen said that they had lost their mechanised boats, country crafts, catamarans and nets and that they were yet to recover from the shock. It might take them more than a month to resume fishing , they said. The movement of villagers from the island to the mainland had become a big problem , they said and added that they needed a bridge linking the four panchayats with Pazhaverkadu.

The team, which comprised its assistant secretary, S.S. Thiagarajan, MLA, A.S. Kannan, and district secretary, Hari, distributed 50 bags of rice, bread packets, dhotis and saris through the panchayat presidents, Mr. Nallakannu said.