MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI TO CONSTRUCT THOUSAND PERMANENT HOUSES
AT NAGAPATTINAM AND NAGOOR
P R E S S R E L E A S E
Mata Amritanandamayi Math will construct 1000 permanent houses
at Pattinacherry, Samanthampettai and other nearby villages of
Nagoor. Already temporary shelters have come up at Samanthampettai
with provision for clean drinking water for about 100 families.
The foundation stones for the houses are being laid. The Math
is also constructing Anganwadis and Community Halls at the relief
camps at Panangudi, Collectorate and Samanthampettai complete
with color television sets and provisions for clean drinking
water. This is part of the 100 crore relief package that Mata
Amritananadamayi Devi (AMMA) recently announced for the Tsunami
victims. The free housing scheme for the Tsunami victims will
also be extended to Karaikkal, Cuddalore and Chennai.
Mata Amritanandamayi Math is fully involved in the relief and
rehabilitation operations at the coastal belt of Nagapattinam.
Within one day after the tsunami strike, a group of volunteers
from Coimbatore, Chennai and Kochi and also student volunteers
from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Deemed University), Ettimadai,
Coimbatore under the leadership of the Chief Operating Officer
of the university, Brahmachari Abhayamrita Chaitanya, swung into
relief operations. At that time, on 27th December, there was
no organized relief work and chaos reigned supreme.
Food Distribution
The Math identified Nagoor as its camp headquarters and setup
a huge community kitchen, the biggest in Nagapattinam. The kitchen
served nearly 9000 people thrice a day in twelve relief camps
in and around Nagoor and Samanthampettai. The victims at these
relief camps profusely thanked the volunteers for serving steaming
hot nutritious food right on time every day. Milk was also served
to toddlers. Serving 9000 people spread over 12 relief camps
is no easy task and this was made possible by the commitment
and dedication of the volunteers.
Health Care
A full fledged medical team from AIMS (Amrita Institute of Medical
Sciences and Research Center, Kochi) the state-of-the-art super
specialty hospital consisting of 7 doctors and 5 paramedics went
around the coastal areas and attended over 300 patients every
day. A fully equipped and well-stocked mobile ICU accompanied
the medical team.
The volunteers also visited the Pookaran Theru at Velankkani
and distributed kits containing rice, dal, edible oil, tea and
other essentials to nearly 100 displaced families.
The way to one’s heart is through food – the Math’s
effective food distribution has captured the victims’ heart.
Rajendran who lost his wife and two children says “If not
for the love and kind persuasion to eat food, I would have starved”.
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