Tsunami hit Soodaikuda village relocated

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 June 2005, 02:58 GMT]
Tsunami destroyed Soodaikuda, a coastal village in the Muttur east in the Trincomalee district has been relocated two hundred meters away from the shore on a twenty-five acre land with each displaced family is given about twenty perch plot with a transition home constructed by the International Organization of Migration (IOM),



Soodaikuda women attending the event

Simultaneously the construction of a permanent house by the Social Development Council (SDC) funded by the Assembly of God is taking place in each plot adjacent to the transition home. The SDC has its headquarters in Killinochchi, sources said.

transition home, next permanent house being built

Chief guest Mr.Elilan, special guests Mr.A.Nadarajah, Mr.Niyas with IOM Trincomalee Project Officer Mr.Muralitharan are seen at the handing over event in the community hall

Soodaikuda families getting ready to move into transition homes from heir tent shelters ( seen in background ) with photographs of deities, brass lamps

Ms Elizabeth, official of the IOM stationed in Muttur is seen in the midst of Soodaikuda women attending the Pongal event

This is a unique post-tusnami rehabilitation and reconstruction project under taken in the Trincomalee district where transition home and permanent house are given to the victims in one plot of land. Families occupying transition homes can use these structures after they are shifted to permanent houses.

The handing over of transition homes to 93 families who lost their dwellings in the tsunami in the old Soodaikuda village took place Tuesday with Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head as the chief guest and Mr.A.Nadarajah, Additional Government Agent (Post-Tusnami Unit), Mr.M.A.M.Niyaz, Muttur Divisional Secretary and Mr.Muralitharan, IOM Project Officer and Mr.M.S.M.Faiz, Muttur Medical Officer of Health in Trincomalee district as special guests.

About three hundred fifty persons of 93 families Tuesday moved into the new transition homes leaving tent shelters they occupied soon after tsunami.

At the commencement of the event the chief guest and other guests attended the "Pongal "ceremony held at the entrance to the newly located Soodaikuda village, in front of the Pillaiyar Temple. Thereafter the guests were taken in a procession to the newly located village.

Thamileelam Police Trincomalee district head Mr.N.Vincent hoisted the national flag.

Mr.A.Nadarajah, Additional Government Agent who represented the Government Agent unveiled the name board of the new Soodaikuda village.

Thereafter Mr.M.S.M.Niyaz, Muttur Divisional Secretariat declared open the new village by cutting the ribbon at the entrance to the village.

Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head opened the first transitional home and handed over the keys to the first beneficiary.

A public followed in the Community Hall constructed by the IOM with Mr.K.Selvaretnam, Grama Sevaka Officer of the village in the chair. Mr.J.Karikalan, IOM official made the welcome address. The chief guest and other guests spoke. Ms Ratnakala, Poverty Alleviation Officer in Koonitheivu proposed vote of thanks. Mr.Elilan inaugurated the distribution of food packages donated by the Government Agent Mr.Gamini Rodrigo to the beneficiaries.

Soodaikuda villagers held a sports festival to celebrate the event which was organized by the local women association.

Mr.Muralitharan, Project Officer of the IOM in Trincomalee said his organization has taken steps to develop the infrastructure facilities of the newly located Soodaikuda village. Already two wells have been sunk to provide drinking water through bowzers. The Government Agent has given a 12 KV generator to supply electricity to each transition home and then to permanent house. A community hall has been constructed. A community garden is to be constructed shortly. A committee comprising beneficiaries has been appointed for the management of the new Soodaikuda village. The road network development project for the new village is to be undertaken shortly, Mr.Muralitharan said.