JAC urges Pondy to construct permanent houses

Puducherry, Feb 3 (UNI) The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Puducherry state fishermen organisations today urged the administration to take immediate steps to construct permanent houses for all the tsunami affected families in the Union Territory.

Addressing a press conference here, Committee Convenor and former Legislator M Ellango said even after two years of the tragedy, the Puducherry administration had failed to construct a single house and the NGOs were constructing only a small per cent of the actual number of houses required.

He said this had created split and tension among the fishermen community.

The government is yet to spend about Rs 14 crore received under the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for tsunami rehabilitation.

He urged the administration to immediately utilise the money for the welfare of the fishermen.

He claimed the Committee had the information that the government was planning to surrender about Rs 25 crore to the Centre and said the government's move was against the interests of the affected fishermen.

Demanding setting up of a Puducherry Fishermen Development Corporation and granting an assistance of Rs five lakh to those who do not own a piece of land to construct house, Mr Ellango said the Committee would submit a memorandum next week to Lt Governor and Chief Minister in this regard.

The Committee would launch massive agitation programmes, if the government failed to take up welfare programmes for those affected, he added.

UNI