Cyclone shelter nearing completion at Vadakara

The three-storey building can accommodate people and livestock

The construction work of the first cyclone shelter, with all facilities for the rehabilitation of victims of natural calamities, will be completed on the coastline of Vadakara in three months.

The shelter, funded by the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project, will be one of the nine such projects nearing completion on selected coastlines in the State.

The three-storey building will be equipped with all temporary facilities for accommodating people and even their livestock in times of natural calamities such as sea erosion, landslips, and floods.

Accomodation

Women and children would be provided accommodation on the top floor whereas the other refugees would be accommodated on the first floor. For protecting livestock and pet animals, space would be provided on the ground floor. There will be a safe space in the building to procure emergency medicines, first aid kits, rescue operation accessories, and emergency food items.

Both the State and Central funds will be pooled together to strengthen the centre.

“The Uralungal Labour Contract Society is the agency engaged in the work, which will complete the project within three months, as agreed” said an official attached to the project.

The Central Public Works Department is now carrying out the overall supervision of the work, he added.

Upon the completion of the project, the Revenue Department and other government wings will not have to excessively depend on school buildings and other public places for accommodating calamity victims.

Poor facilities

On most occasions, the victims, especially people from coastal areas, are forced to make do with poor facilities provided in temporary rehabilitation centres.

It was in 2009 that the foundation stone for the cyclone shelter was laid by the then Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran.

Though there were plans to shift the project to nearby Puthuppanam, it was dropped following the objection of some political party leaders.

They had then put forth the argument that a rehabilitation shelter outside the Vadakara municipality limits would hardly serve the purpose.