CNI intensifies rehabilitation effort for tsunami victims

Calcutta – The Calcutta Diocese of the Church of North India (CNI) have intensified their rehabilitation efforts to restore the live of tsunami survivors back to normalcy.

More than a year has passed ever since the killer waves inundated the shores of Andaman and Nicobar islands, killing hundreds of people and rendering thousands homeless.

Till now there has been some effort for the restoration of normal life, but bad weather condition and lack of proper infrastructure have acted as severe impediments to the entire rehabilitation process.

According to national daily, The Indian Express, under the aegis of CNI, a Disaster Management Committee was set up to work for the cause of the tribes in the islands who are in the danger of facing extinction.

“When the tsunami hit the islands, many of the tribes went into the mountains and the jungles. They did not venture out again fearing the danger would revisit them. This is an effort to restore normal life,” said Bishop Raju of Calcutta Diocese, the chairman of the committee.

“Though the government had provided them with some of the basic amenities, its efforts lack active participation. Even a model proposed by us to restructure their community and livelihood is caught in red–tapism and has not been implemented as yet. The model had also been cleared by the Tribal Council,” said Sudipta Singh, secretary of the committee.

Though Bishop Raju felt that there was lack of communication and coordination between the local government and the central government, he said that the community based Psycho Social Programme conducted by the committee in some remote villages have helped local survivors cope with the trauma.

“Even though the infrastructural facilities are appalling and the Government machineries are slow, we are committed towards full restoration of these precious lives,” Bishop Raju said.

“We are setting up technical schools and community centres so that they can interact and come out of their shell. The vocational training will help them in earning their livelihood to some extent,” added Singh.