NAGAPATTINAM: A 29-year-old village administrative officer (VAO) from Nagapattinam, P Sabarinathan, has received appreciation for his extraordinary commitment to flood relief work over the past few weeks in Pappakovil. His dedication in leading people from flooded low-lying areas to relief camps amid downpour have come for praise.
“The past few weeks have been challenging and satisfying. People were hesitant about moving to relief camps as many of them were dependent on cattle farming and wanted to stay by their cattle. I promised them that we had space for them and their cattle at the camps. I promised to lead and accompany them from the front. It was then they began to trust in me,” Sabarinathan said.
Pappakovil panchayat has 1,272 families in villages like Pappakovil, Periyanariyankudi, Karuveli, Kudineiveli, Samathuvapuram, Chinnanariyankudi and Puthiya Kallaar. The panchayat is located next to the Odambogi River, a distributary of the Vennar. The hamlets lack development, are in low-lying areas and vulnerable to floods during heavy rains. The roads easily get flooded owing to overflow from the river, and water stagnates up to waist height in the villages.
Sabarinathan said he and panchayat officials arranged for a bus to transport the villagers and steer them through the flood to the camps at night. “After leading them to the camps, I spent the nights with them and ensured that they got proper food at the camps,” Sabarinathan said. He also blocked pathways in streets inside his village where some huts were on the verge of collapsing.
An ME mechanical engineering graduate, Sabarinathan is from Nagapattinam and has been in village administration services for the past three years. Environment Minister Siva V Meyyanathan presented him a certificate of appreciation in the precedence of Nagapattinam Collector A Arun Thamburaj on Monday.
Thamburaj said, “We laud Sabarinathan for his commitment in a challenging environment. Such people are doing amazing work at the moment.”