Houses for Tsunami Victims -   KR Unnithan

              K.S.E.B. Officers Association has constructed and contributed two houses to two tsunami affected families in Alappuzha and Quilon Districts of Kerala. Tsunami had  crashed into the Coastal area of two pachayaths in these two districts, stripping beaches of land, inundating thousands of meters of inland past, destroying homes and other structures, besides snuffing out hundreds of life during December 2004.As a part of rehabilitation programme,Government of Kerala has conceived a scheme of constructing houses to those who lost it with the complete sponsor ship of voluntary organizations.K.S.E.B Officers Association was one among few of those voluntary organizations, but was the only one among service organizations. Along with other employees in service, we also contributed one day salary to the Chief Ministers Tsunami relief fund. The construction of building was over and above that, spending about six lakhs of rupees, which was really an adventure for such a small organization of officers and engineers comprising of around 1500 membership. But we did it, in a praiseworthy manner!

                        The work was directly executed by the Association forming two building construction committees in the above two districts. Fund was also collected from the members of our association working in state and abroad. Co-oparation of the local people was admirable especially from the sympathizers and members of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in constructing the houses. The beneficiaries were selected by the government. The government was also stipulating two standard designs for the buildings with a plinth area of 430 sq. feet, based on the bearing capacity of soil. But we found that such a design is unsuitable to our site at Alleppey district. So our committee comprising of well experienced senior engineers redesigned it and completed the construction ahead of schedule. Government of Kerala directed the voluntary organizations to complete the work before 31^st May 2005.We were the only organization which satisfied the above guideline by completing the building by 25^th May.

                        The experience in the past , as came out in media, was that such type of buildings contributed by  charitable organizations were carried out with out  observing engineering codes and prudent construction practices. Majority of such buildings which were existing at both the districts were devastated easily by the ferocious waves. We, being the part of working class, wanted to make a U-turn in this practice and to make a challenge to this type of rituals, as far as possible. We have built the houses with best quality materials adhering to all prudent engineering practice and standards. The buildings were completed in all respect with smoke less ‘choola’ in the kitchen, electrification and water supply. This feature was also unique for the buildings donated by Kerala State Electricity Board Officers Association. These buildings named as ‘JYOTHIS’ became well known in the costal belt even before it is handed over to the beneficiaries.

Keys of both the houses were handed over to the beneficiaries by Com.E.Balanandan, President, Electricity Employees Federation of India in public functions organized separately at the two places on 17^th June2005, which were attended by people in the locality massively. Both the functions were inaugurated by Com.V.S.Achuthanundan, Opposition leader in Kerala Assembly. We, representing the working class, are proud that we stood first in this endeavor, as a model.

We took the decision to contribute two houses when we found that the role played by the government was quite unsatisfactory and the lives of living tsunami victims became so pathetic. Even though the government was flooded with money to the tune of 382 crores of rupees for the rehabilitation work of tsunami affected areas, it could spend only 64 crores till May. Of late, the misappropriation of this fund by government is before the court of law.