NAGAPATTINAM: The same houses that once rekindled in them the will to survive soon turned death traps. When the sea pulled the carpet from under their feet in 2004, the Tamil Nadu government and various NGOs came forward to provide the survivors of the tsunami with a roof over their heads. Yet, the same roofs have sprung leaks, and walls developed cracks. Twenty years later, thousands of such houses are in a terrible state of disrepair
Erstwhile Nagapattinam district bore the brunt of nature’s wrath that Sunday morning. At least 6,065 people died, hundreds went missing, thousands were injured and lakhs displaced. As part of rehabilitation, nearly 9,000 houses were raised in the present Nagapattinam district and 7,000 in Mayiladuthurai district today, which was carved out of the former. A recent survey found that as many as 6,000 houses in Nagapattinam and at least 4,000 in Mayiladuthurai are in disrepair.
In one such house at Selloor, resides S Vjayakumar (37), a construction labourer, along with his wife Pandimeena (32) and three children. Three months ago, the house meant to provide a safe haven took the life of their youngest child. The couple’s two daughters had gone to stay with their grandmother on September 19. Vjayakumar, Pandimeena and their two-year-old son Yasinth Ram went to bed after dinner. Around 11 pm, their ceiling collapsed. The still-rotating fan slashed Pandimeena in the chest, while the toddler was fatally crushed under the debris. The mother is recovering from her injury, but the scar left by the loss remains.
TNIE visited hundreds of dilapidated ‘tsunami rehabilitation’ houses in Velankanni, New Nambiyar Nagar, Kameshwaram, Akkaraipettai, Keechankuppam, Thideerkuppam, Tharangambadi and Poompuhar. The houses are crumbling on the inside and out. Beams and columns are exposed in many buildings. At several of the structures, doors and windows were off the hinges. Despite owning these houses, several families, although strapped for cash, are forced to live in houses elsewhere for rent.
V Aathalakshmi, a 60-year-old widow from New Nambiyar Nagar, initially stayed at a tsunami rehabilitation house built by a nonprofit organisation. However, since portions of that house got damaged, she moved to another rehabilitation house on a rental basis. “Now this house has also begun to crumble. I work as a domestic help to keep body and soul together. The plan was to save some money and renovate my old house. But the rental house is also rickety. I don’t know which house to repair first if at all I manage to save some money,” she said.
Recently, the Nagapattinam district administration conducted an independent survey of the houses. “We found that around 6,000 houses built by nonprofit organisations were either severely, moderately or mildly damaged. We submitted the findings to the state government for further action,” Collector P Akash said.
Meanwhile, Nagapattinam MLA J Mohamed Shanavas demanded the government initiate a survey across the state and assess the condition of the rehabilitation homes.
Two decades down, that December morning’s waves continue to batter Tamil Nadu’s survivors.
