SITUATION REPORT- APRIL 2005

Mobile Medical services are provided to the village of Savatkadu by the Green Memorial Hospital. This clinic was inaugurated by Dr. (Mrs.) Ambalavanar. This clinic will function from 9 am. To 12 noon on Fridays.

A ward with all modern facilities will be constructed for the mentally affected patients in the Base Hospital at Point Pedro. This ward is now occupying a 200 year old building in which this hospital was originally functioning. A tent provided by one NGO is being used to cover the roof of this damaged building.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers affected by tsunami and staying in the transit camps at Champianpattu were provided with samadosha.Lactogen was supplied to the children who have lost their mothers in tsunami.

The Assistant commissioner of local government has given an assurance to the Manipay Pradesha Sabha (Vali South West) that a tractor with trailer would be provided very early. This was in response to a request made by the Pradesha Sabha for a tractor to bring in drinking water and clear the garbage in the town.

AIDS awareness seminars were conducted for the people staying in the welfare camps in Point Pedro by the volunteers of the Point Pedro division of the Sri Lanka Redcross society. These volunteers were given training at the Jaffna branch by Mr.S.Premathilake, coordinator of the AIDS project of the SLRCS headquarters.

Hospitals in the islands of Delft and Analaitivu were provided with an auto each by the Jaffna District Health Department. These autos which could transport six patients at a time were supplied by the Jaffna District Secretariat considering the plight of the patients in these islands where vehicles are not available for hiring.

Rs.100.000/- was deposited in the Samurthi bank at Thenmaradchy in the names of 100 poor students in the district. The Bank Pass Books were recently handed over to the students at a function presided over .by Mr.S.Srinivasan, Divisional Secretary

The school development Society of Kachchai Government Tamil Mixed School has made an appeal to have the school upgraded through Hon. Mr.Raviraj, Member of Parliament.

A library was opened on the 2^nd of April in the Karaveddy Manickavasagar Vidyalayam in memory of late Mr. Chinniah. Hon. Mr. K. Sivanesan M.P. was the chief guest at the function. A portrait of late Mr. Chinniah was unveiled.

Forty teachers who had completed their training in the co1lege of education have been appointed to schools in the Thenmaradchy Zone. Of these 8 were appointed to Chavakachcheri Hindu College which is a national school and the remaining 32 teachers were appointed to various schools in the Zone..

FISHERIES

The Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India has gifted fishing equipment to 137 families which were affected by Tsunami and living in the welfare camps of Kudathanai North Potpathy and Nagathambiran welfare centres.

Fishermen of Vadamaradchy will be receiving the 3rd stage of fishing boats from Humedica. 75 boats and nets were already brought from Colombo for distribution. Humedica had supplied 125 boats and nets in the earlier two stages.

RELIEF

Families affected by Tsunami will be paid Rs.175/- in cash through the Samurthi banks in addition to the food stamps to the value of Rs.2OO/- provided to them.

Social Development Society has with the assistance of GTZ distributed dry food items to 500 poor families in the district. The beneficiaries were selected from Kopay, Uduvil and Sandilipay divisions. Each family was given par-boiled rice, raw rice, Sugar, Peas and Dhal sufficient for three months. Priority was given in the selection to families headed by widows those headed by disabled men.

ENVIRONMENT

The Society for the development of social organizations has plan to implement a tree planting programme so as to safeguard the environment. As a primary venture seedling of strong trees, fruit trees and shady trees will be distributed to the public through community based organizations.

A tree planting programme will be introduced to plant 20 hectares of land with various species of plants with the object of reducing the destructions in the event of natural disasters such as Tsunami and to improve the environmental protection and to protect soil erosion. Forest department has got down 5000 teak roots and maintaining a nursery. In addition seeds of various varieties of trees such as Satin, Ebony, Hailmilla and Hulanhik were brought and sown in nursery plots, which are maintained by the forest department.

RESETTLEMENT

Secretary General of Caritas-France Mr.Peter Lavany stated that necessary funds are available for the construction of permanent houses for the families affected by Tsunami but they could not commence the work as they are awaiting the permission from the government. He further stated that they would not force their system on the people. All their activities would be undertaken according to the wishes of the beneficiaries. He stated further that all the emergency work has been completed and they have to consider the construction of the permanent houses. According to him 900 shelters were planned of which 500 have been completed and the work in the remaining 400 is in progress. He said that they did not encounter any problems as they were collaborating with the government and the LTTE. Loan for self-employment for those affected by Tsunami would also be granted.

Rev.Fr.C.G.Jeyakumar the Director of Jaffna District Caritas stated that arrangements are being made to provide 400 boats and fishing equipment. Yamaha engines would be imported by Caritas directly from Japan. He further stated that 4 generators were provided to Mullaitivu welfare camps and one was supplied to Manatkadu.

Sri Lanka Red Cross Society in collaboration with international Red Cross Societies, International Union of Red Cross and Red Crescents and some other groups of Red Cross have come forward to construct 15000 houses in the Tsunami affected areas. 105 temporary shelters constructed by HUDEC, Forut, Leeds and Oxfam were recently handed over to the families of Vadamaradchy and Thumpalai East whose houses were washed away by Tsunami.

The people affected by Tsunami in the Point Pedro area face a problem in constructing their houses. All the damaged houses in Point Pedro are within 200 meters distance from the coast. According to the decision of the government houses cannot be constructed in this area. The people are not agreeable to have their houses constructed elsewhere. The Government Agent Jaffna has stated that he has brought this matter to the notice of the authorities in Colombo and awaiting instructions. Till them no rehabilitation activities could be undertaken in Point Pedro.

5428 houses were completely damaged by Tsunami in the Jaffna Peninsula. Of these 2724 houses are in the Maruthankerny area. Necessary action has been undertaken to construct new houses in place of the destroyed houses. Crown lands have been identified 300 meters from the coastal areas in Maruthankerny, Manatkadu, Uduthurai, Aliyawalai, Potpathy, Mulliyan and Chempianpattu. These houses of 500 sq.ft floor will cost Rs.450,000/-