Wednesday, December 29 2004 14:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Cuddalore: People in Cuddalore, one of the worst affected regions in the December 26 Tsunami, are overwhelmed by the voluntary support and assistance being received from all sections of society to carry out the painstaking relief and rehabilitation process.

Three days after the tidal wave struck, killing over 500 people in this coastal district, help is pouring in from all directions - colleges willing to send students to clean up the villages, specialist doctors from Bangalore volunteering to lend aid in medical camps and workers of other groups like the Nehru Yuva Kendra, International NGO Medicines Sans Frontiers - Doctors without Borders, the Ramakrishna mission, among others.

The UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund), on its part, is sending extra medicines and blankets for the Tsunami victims.

"We are simply overwhelmed by the support. This is giving us strength to carry out the work round the clock," C K Gariyali, secretary to the Government (municipal administration and water supply) and the nodal officer of the district, camping at Cuddalore to oversee the relief operations, said.

She said that the services of about 100 students from a college in Villupuram would be utilized to clean up a fishing village, deserted after the waves swept away the huts, along with its occupants.

Another group from the Anna Teresa College of Engineering, Ullundurpet, also helped in relief and rehabilitation work in other parts of the district. "Principals from other colleges have also called up, offering NSS volunteers for the relief and rehabilitation process," Gariyali said.

A group of 25 specialists' doctors from Bangalore arrived in the district on Tuesday (Dec 28, 2004) to provide all medical assistance at the health camps. "We have asked these doctors to lead the health camps, set up in the affected villages," Gariyali said.

Doctors from the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Pondicherry, Government Hospital in Coimbatore and private K J Hospital have also reached Cuddalore.

District collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi said that all the 45 affected villages have been disinfected by spraying bleaching powder, as also other precautionary measures.

Twenty-seven villages in Cuddalore taluk and 18 in Chidambaram taluk have been identified as the worst affected. "We are utilising all assistance for the relief and rehabilitation process," Bedi, who travelled with Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to some of the worst affected villages last night, said.

The Tirupur Garments Exporters Association has agreed to provide 25,000 T-shirts to the villagers, while the Ramakrishna Mission will give 500 sets of clothing and utensils. The Public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation has provided 1000 bed sheets.

"Other NGOs are helping us in preparing food for the villagers in relief camps. We know the requirement is much more. But the support, which we get, is very encouraging. Hopefully, this will inspire others to come forward," Gariyali said.