Chennai: Caritas picks the elderly, widows, children, backward communities, minorities, fisher-folks and those physically and mentally challenged at Tamil Nadu Floods Relief.
In doing so, “Our work is not free of challenges” says Arockiaraj, the Caritas state officer who was reporting from Chennai district on Wednesday. He said that even those who are not enlisted in the list of the most affected demand for kits, stating it is their right.
Until December 9, relief has been brought to more than 16,000 people or 3,2000 families in 24 villages across the four districts of Chennai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Kanchipuram.
The relief consist of food kit, WASH kit and NFIs (Bed sheet, towels and more). It will also include distribution of 50,000 litters of drinking water as the need has been identified in certain pockets of Urban Chennai. Water is not much of a concern in the rural pockets of Tamil Nadu according to the rapid need assessment report conducted by our field team.
Expenses in bringing these relief has crossed more than 6 million Indian rupees with nearly 100 member staff and volunteers working tirelessly in the field alone.
Executive Director Fr Frederick D’Souza has expressed gratitude to the government machinery, the media, the corporate houses, the college youth volunteers and all supporters who stood by Caritas India’s relief and responses to the needs in flood devastated state of Tamil Nadu.
“People are donating generously for this cause and we are keeping pace to reach the most needy in this difficult situation.” Fr. D’Souza described.
By end of December, our field team hopes to cover another 20 thousand people with relief, taking our total reach close to 36 thousand affected people. Need assessment report in the coming days will further navigate the team.
Caritas India is in touch with state disaster management authority and the Chennai based Tata Institute of Technology and is hopeful to bring out a long term plan to reduce such calamities in the future.
Our team has become aware that the present floods are primarily the result of rampant human encroachment into water bodies.
Out of the 1.5 billion people that have been affected by disasters across the globe, Caritas has brought relief and rehabilitation to a significant one million people in India, investing 5 billion rupees across 14 major emergencies between 2005 -2015.
Caritas India is the second largest humanitarian network after the Red Cross in service since 1962.