(March 07, 2006) : Caritas-India is turning over 648 new houses to families as part
of its ongoing relief efforts in the wake of the December 2004 tsunami.The Catholic
aid organization and other ecclesial entities, raced to the aid of the tsunami victims
and planned their relief efforts by focusing on medium and long-term reconstruction.
Caritas-India is working with 300 village communities in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar islands, to build more than 17,000 homes, in addition
to providing livelihood to affected families. The Catholic bishops' conference of
India – CBCI, confirmed that Shri Surjit Singh Barnala, governor of the state of
Tamil Nadu, had handed over 648 houses in the tsunami-affected coastal village of
Devanampattinam, built by the Pondicherry Multipurpose Social Service Society in partnership
with Caritas-India. "Caritas-India has done this for the affected families of the
tsunami, as a mark of selfless and compassionate love," said Father John Noronha,
executive director of Caritas-India, during the handover ceremony. The tsunami claimed
101 lives in Davanampattinam, on the coast of Cuddalore, and destroyed huge amounts
of property. CBCI emphasized the cooperation of the state government with the efforts
of Caritas-India and other aid organizations.