project update

comittment rececieved so far from donors : ~ $12,000

Projects executed so far in India

• distribution of stainless steel pots to about 1000 families - ~ $3200
• distribution of books/notebooks to school childred - ~ $600

Projects that will be executed in the next 2-3 weeks

• repair of nets/boats for a few fishermen families - ~ $3000

Projects being investigated for longer term relief

• build houses for a handful of families - this will be basically by taking part in a larger effort in an area near chidambaram, where around 300 houses are planned to be built; each house can house 2 families, and costs around $2000. cost of resettling a family (buy utensils, household supplies etc.) is estimated to be around $500. For a total of around $5000-$5500, we can help settle 2 families. decision to be made in the next 2-3 weeks.
• build a community hall for a village near kalpakkam - kanchipuram district collecter recommended this project; community hall will help for village gatherings and during rain - expected cost is around $12000. this is being investigated for (i) utility value, and (ii) permission from the local authorities for land etc.
• help with retraining for families affected - especially for families that have lost the main breadwinner - this is being investigated.. more details as we get more information
• expansion of fish net/boat repair effort to more families.

for questions, in India, please contact srI TNS Narayanan @ 044-24412209; in the US, please contact Varadhan @ tavaradhan@yahoo.com

varadhan

coordination with srI mAdhavan svAmi's efforts

Vedics India is aware of srI mAdhavan svAmi's efforts, and is thinking through how best to provide support/team up with this project.

more details as they become available.

Varadhan

Need for Coordination Action

Information obtained through my brother (Kannan) in the field, who is working with sri Tirukkoshtiyur madhavan swamy:

• Kannan and two friends went to the tsunami affected area with Sri Madhavan swamy - around Annan Kovil (Srinivsa Perumal). They took vessels, plates, new clothing - 300 sets (shirts, sarees, lungi, bed sheets, jamakkaLam etc) worth 2 lakhs for distribution last week. All the villages in the coastal area have been hit hard and the destruction is quite unprecedented.
• They visited some of the worst affected villages, numbering about a dozen; They have identified 3 villages that have not received any help. These three villages have been identified for further development.
• Christian missioneries are very active in several such areas, to use this opportunity to convert people. Sri Madhavan swamy has come up with a plan to pre-empt such unethical, situation-driven conversions

Their group will adopt a model village, giving them total support so that they can get back to their daily work framework and not become dependent on external assistance for continued sustenance. To this end, they have identified avillage at Poompuhar (close to Thiru Annan Kovil) with 300 families:

1. Provide 150 fishing nets (costing Rs.3000 each). each net can support 2 fishermen. they fish in groups. they have the boats. so all they need is the basic infrastructure to get back to work.
2. build 300 homes (twin home blocks - ground + 1st). each block would cost Rs. 80000.

This project would be named "Sri Ramanuja Nagar" and the streets would be named after Azhwars. Part of the project is building a temple for Thayar and Matsyamurthi and a sannidhi for Emberumanar. This model can be used with other villages.

Sri Madhavan Swamy has spoken to Sri Velukkudi Krishnan swamy as well as Sri Tridandi jeer swamy. They have expressed their total appreciation and support for this plan of action. The three are to meet on Jan 17 to review progress and discuss expansion opportunities.

Sri Madhavan Swamy has also informed the Media of this plan and has suggested that more people, organizations should adopt a village and help re-build in such a way that we provide them the kind of support that would give them a framework to re-start their normal lives.

Can Vedics India work together with srI madhavan swamy to adopt a village and build on the kainkaryam that we have begun? It would be fruitful to have all the different srI vaishnava organizations, groups, come together and work in a coordinated way.

ramanuja dasan,

sridhar

brief update from kAnchipuram district collector meeting

from guNa,

• Today we had a good meeting with Kanchipuram Collector and we gave a request to them to identify a small village where we can concentrate on their need
• He was suggesting that a community hall is a better option for us
• Now Govt is planning to provide immediate needs like food and also trying to get them in sea for business and he explained about the loans for boats etc.
• He will come back to us in 2 days
• Meanwhile our Chidambaram people have been contacted for support of Books of10 std students who got affected by this Tsunami and yesterday, we gave a go ahead signal to them.

T.A.Varadhan

Field Update

update from Guna/Narayanan in the field.

(i) temporary shelter in kiLLai, near chidambaram: one of our volunteers has visited the place once again; govt is facing issue in getting a land for temp shelters etc., once its clear they will inform us;

(ii) Our volunteers are meeting with the DRDA/Collector of kAnchi district today; our request is for the authorities to identify a small village where we can do more long-term help - i.e. build huts/small houses, provide household items for reestablishing their life, buy books/clothing etc, and help them with training/counselling if necessary.

(iii) We are in touch with DRDA (Dist Rural Devp Agency) officer for Cuddalore as well - he mentioned a need for Blankets, Torches , Candles, Trunk Boxes (Non corrosive), plastic bags; we are following it up with him to get a better picture & count.

Varadhan

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

VEdics Tsunami Help Project - pictures from pattinappaakkam (in chennai)
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Vedics Tsunami Help - kodam distribution pictures
Vedics Tsunami Help Project

Food / Clothing Update

As srI varadhan had reported earlier, it seems that there is more than an adequate supply of food and clothing, especially in our target areas (chidambaram, cudallore, nagapattinam). In fact, at this point, the most pressing need seems to be re-building homes and re-creating the framework for people to get back to work and life as they knew it before the calamity.

There is an abundance of clothing, much of it irrelevant to those, who right now dont know what to do with oodles of used clothing coming their way. We need to make sure that we dont go the way of other NGO's that have been told that they are simply duplicating what others have done (in terms of food and clothing).

Whatever areas we target, it would be meaningful to ensure coordination with any other entity already working there.

ramanuja dasan,

sridhar

Update from Smt Sumithra Varadarajan

Today under the able guidaince of Sri Rangachari team of volunteers representing Vedics - Sri Narayanan and his family, Sri Rangachari's son and his daughter, Cheena, Vanamamalai Padmanabhan swamy, Varadarajan and Sumithra, Sri Narayanan swamy(from Triplicane) were there in Foreshore Estate seashore in the affected area to distribute the relief items.

The team from the before said area had been contacted by Sri Rangachari through a local Police Inpector regarding their bare necessities after the calamity. A vessel (Thavalai) for storing Water was decided as the prime necessity for the people as food and clothing was pouring in from various other organizations.

A colony was identified and around 1000 vessels was decided for distrubution.

Today the vedics volunteer team went there and supervised the distribution process. The photographs will be sent by Padmanabhan swamy and Cheena shortly.

The localites thanked whole heartedly the Vedics team for their timely help. They also expressed a great sense for gratitude to Vedics. No words can explain the misery they are currently in and lets pray the emperumans "Kadal Soozhntha mannulagam nalamudan Vazha" and begin the New year with a hope that these kinds of miseries don't occur again.

Coverage was also provided by Star News channel.

Chennai activity update

message after update from TNS Narayanan

Vedics has ordered about 1000 kodams for distribution in the next couple of days in the chennai area

Varadhan

Rebuild homes and help re-settle familes

Rebuild homes and help re-settle familes :
Help families rebuild & move back to their homes.TA Varadan Ph: 425 558 5917

Immediate Relief Housing: Temperory shelters for housing.

Immediate Relief Housing: Temperory shelters for housing.
USA Contact: TA Varadan tavaradhan@yahoo.com

Report from local volunteers in the ground:

The most important need for now that is not being taken care of is temporary housing.

Thousands of homes have been lost, and the these people are having to sleep in the street.
All they are asking for is roof over their head and a restroom.

Meeting with Local Tahsildar and local govt to receive permits to build.
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(i) The project in kiLLai to build temporary housing will help about 100 families;
(ii) The request for temporary shelter was brought up in a meeting in which the local tahsildar and inspector etc. were present. They have let our field volunteers know that they will call them back re: approval in the next day or so.
(iii) Vedics is waiting for formal approval from the local tahslidar & inspector to begin the work
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01/01/2005
PS: We have received verbal approval, awaiting the written approval (next 8 hrs) to start the temperory housing construction. (Team led by Retd. Engineers)

Health and Medicine Relief

Health and Medicine Relief :

Mobile Vans serving as temporary medical facilites.Mukundan VP ph: 312 850 1169

Local hospitals have stepped up and taken over the service in the area.
So for now, Vedics only provide support to them in any way they want.

hence resources from this area are being sent to the Temperaory Housing service.

Immediate Relief : Provide Food, Water, Clothing and Blankets.

Immediate Relief : Provide Food, Water, Clothing and Blankets.
USA Contact: Sridhar Srinivasan ph: 281-556-1723

Current Status: 01/01/2005:
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The food stiruation is better for now,

Though people have to stand in line to receive the food.
Food is being distributed in Chennai, Nagappattinam & Cuddalore.