10 years on, tsunami survivors yet to receive title deeds

December 27, 2014 09:52 am | Updated November 16, 2021 04:49 pm IST - KOCHI

Ten years after tsunami waves made them homeless, they have moved into secure homes, but owned by the Ernakulam District Collector.

The 26 fishermen families of Edavanakad, who were rehabilitated in houses built by an industrialist, have not been made the owners of their dwelling units. The promise of title deeds has not been materialised. All that they were given was documents indicating that they were the occupants of the houses.

Though the power and drinking water connections were taken in the names of the residents, the title deeds of the houses are in the name of the Ernakulam District Collector, said Jibin Edavanakad, a resident of the tsunami colony.

While all the families now residing in the colony lost all their worldly belongings to the giant waves that came roaring on December 26 a decade ago, some of them lost their dear ones, too. It took nearly six months for the families after the fatal day to move in to the houses built on three-and-a-half cent units.

Though most of the tsunami survivors have moved into secure houses from their rickety huts on the seashore, much progress has not been achieved on the economic front. Every one had to begin the life anew as everything was washed away, said O.G. Prasad, a fisherman.

All the livelihood equipment, including fishing vessels and nets were lost or damaged beyond repair. No one had even spare clothes and kitchen utensils as the invading waves took them away, he said.

M.G. Rajamanickam, District Collector, Ernakulam, said that he was unaware of the developments. However, he offered to look into the issue.

Some of the houses in Karithas Nagar by Caritas India and the Ernakulam Social Service Society have started tilting as they were built on reclaimed land.

A few houses were built on the banks of Bandar Canal that is flowing through the area. Water from the canal enters the backyards of the houses and takes with it the surface soil. Houses built on the shaky and wet land have started settling towards the canal, said K.B. Mohan, a fisherman and resident of the colony. It lacks proper drains and the area would be flooded during high tide. Septic tanks would be overflowing during rainy season, said P. Ayyappan, a resident.

Kunjumol, a housewife and a resident of the colony, complained about the inadequate drinking water supply to the area. Drinking water reaches the water taps in the area only once in two days. The area is often inundated too, she said.

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