Monday, December 19 2005 12:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kollam (Kerala): An year after tsunami struck spawning death and devastation, life in the coastal hamlet of Allapad in Kollam district has to a great extent returned to normal but the sound and fury of the deadly waves still haunt the memory of those living there, especially children.

In the 18-km stretch ravaged by the tragedy, construction of houses to rehabilitate the displaced fisher folk is progressing fast. But the complaint had been rife that the victims are yet to receive the solatium announced by the Center.

Most of the construction is undertaken by non-governmental and charity agencies, including the Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt located at nearby Vallikkavu.

Basic amenities like drinking water, electricity connection and roads have been completed well in time. Putting up sea-walls to check sea-erosion, a long-pending demand of the local people, has also been done.

Still, about 400 families are living in four camps set up by the government where the life under the aluminium sheets is becoming increasingly unbearable day by day.

"Most of the families living in the camps have been allotted houses. But we don't know when they would be handed over to us," Jayalal, an inmate of the camp, told sources.

He said the families in the camp have not received the monthly Government dole of Rs 1,000 for the last six months.

"This amount was of great relief for most of us, as we have not been able to venture into sea every day as we used to do in the past," Jayalal said.

Students at the Scheduled Caste Welfare Lower Primary School at nearby Sraiyakat were seen playing in front of the new school building, only a few metres away from the sea.

Having lived through the nightmare, some of the children said they were no longer scared by tsunami as they had already seen it.

However, Prameela, an inmate of relief camp adjacent to the school, said there are children in the area who wake up in the night even on hearing a mild sound.

"Some walk in the night sleepless and cry for hours on end. We elders often find helpless to console them," she said.

"The news of fresh earthquake in other parts of the world cause fear and panic among many. But, to a certain extent, children have come to terms with what had happened," she said.

Krishnamma, who has been given a house constructed by the Amrita Mutt, said that she was relieved now as she was able to re-build her life, shattered by the tsunami on December 26 last year.

But, her 17-year-old daughter gave up her studies as a bosom pal of her was killed by the tragedy. She is now going to tailoring classes organized by the Math for the families of tsunami vicitms, Krishnamma said, adding even now one gets a shivering down the spine when the memories of the tsunami come to mind.

"Sometime I feel like going away from the costal area. But, what can we do in other places. Our livelihood is here," 52-year-old Sarasamma said.

The men were seen relaxing on the beach playing cards after the day's toil in the sea. "We resumed going to the sea only from May this year. The catch was not good after tsunami," Madhavan said.

Many complained that the victims are yet to receive the relief payments announced by the state and the Center for the affected people.

Shilaja, who lost her 13-year-old daughter, said she was yet to receive Rs one lakh solatium announced by the Center. Incidentally, she was one the five victims selected to receive bank pass book from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he visited the area within a few days after the tragedy.

"Of course, the money is not going to bring back my daughter. But it is promised by the government," the grief-stricken woman said.

The authorities cite technical reasons for the delay in providing the money.

People are also agitated about the debt recovery notices sent by banks.

"I have taken a loan of Rs 15,000 under the PMRY scheme and had been regularly repaying it until the tsunami struck. After the tragedy, we don't have enough work and so there was default in re-payment," a woman said.

The district officials said the paper works for providing the central assistance had been completed in most cases.

As and when the records of the eight persons are completed, the amount would be disbursed, a senior official said. If there was delay in the matter, that was due to some inaccuracies in the details provided by the victims, they said

A total of 1,886 houses were under construction in the area and 1,000 were nearing completion. As compensation for livelihood equipment, an amount of Rs 1.80 crore had been disbursed so far. A total of Rs six crore had been allotted for this purpose, officials said.

S S Aishwarya, Co-ordinator of Nehru Yuvakendra child line which carried out counseling for the children in the area, said 80 per cent of the children in the area have recovered from the shock of tsunami.

Nine volunteers of the Kendra conducted counseling camps for children.

Swamy Dhyanamrita of Amritha Mutt said counseling by doctors of the Math's hospital was still continuing among the children and adults.

Seven women who had undergone sterilization before tsunami but lost their children in the tragedy were performed re-canalization operation with the help of the Mutt.

The Government had entrusted construction of 1,600 houses with the Mutt and 80 per cent of the work had been completed, the Swamy said.