November 22, 2005— Kuppuraj stands amid the temporary shelters which house the survivors of last December’s tsunami. He speaks with the authority of a chosen leader whose writ runs large in the fishing hamlet of Devanampattinam along India’s eastern coast, an area which bore the brunt of the disaster. “After the tsunami, the boats could only be replaced in stages,” Kuppuraj says. “So we decided that no one would set out to fish in the open seas until every fisherman in our midst could do so,” he declares, explaining the close ties that bind his community. It’s those close community bonds, which perhaps stem from the dangers inherent in living so dependent on an unpredictable ocean, that have helped hold the community together and helped survivors work closely with government and non government organizations to rebuild with a rare resilience.  |  |  | | Mr. Shanmugam and Mr.Kuppuraj at Devanampattinam shelters |
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In touch with the outside The tsunami brought India’s insular fishing community in touch with the outside world for the first time. With lives more attuned to the tides and seasons, the fisher folk have always lived apart, abiding by age-old norms, following the dictates of their leaders, and settling their own disputes. “Even the police seldom ventured into their hamlets,” explains S. Shanmugam, the government official assisting with relief and rehabilitation in Cuddalore district, where Devanampattinam lies. “And, although this was our first close contact with the community, it was important for us to involve them in rebuilding from the very start.” Transparency and consultation The scale of the disaster was huge. Most survivors had lost everything. In Tamil Nadu alone, almost 40,000 boats, an equal number of fishing nets, and some 3,000 outboard motors were either damaged or destroyed. Making accurate assessments of damages to compensate the fishermen across hundreds of tiny communities and prevent resentments was not easy. And it was made all the more difficult by the fact that most fisher folk did not own the land they had built on, their boats were often not registered, and it was almost impossible to verify the loss of expensive fishing nets. | |  | | Women at the village fish market |
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“This was where our long and detailed consultations with each community really helped,” explains Shanmugam, recalling the painstaking hours officials spent in each tiny hamlet. Village-level monitoring committees were formed to help oversee the relief effort. And, panchayat – elected village council - members accompanied the officials when they made their household surveys to assess damages. “Lists of those eligible for boats, nets, and housing were prepared and posted on village walls. People carried around copies of these lists. They were free to object to any of these provisions, and indeed many did,” Shanmugam says. Grievances were recorded and tracked through a computerized system. It was a process intended to leave as little room for dispute as possible. While the fiercely democratic traditions of the fisher folk helped to ensure people’s voices were heard, the muscle of hard bargaining that accompanies the democratic process brought its share of challenges. “The fishermen are known to throw out panchayats for failing to deliver,” explains the official. “In one village, three panchayats were dismissed in the course of a year. Each time we had to start the consultations afresh.” The wishes of the people The wishes of the communities have been treated as paramount while rebuilding. The design of the new houses being built well away from the high tide line stands testimony to the close involvement of local women. Flat roofs have replaced the old thatch to dry fish easily or build another story if need be and prayer rooms have been added on request. A new fish landing center in one district is being built on a backwater because the villagers who saw 2,500 of their people die in the tsunami didn’t want to “turn their backs on the sea.” In another village, efforts are being made to accommodate the wishes of two groups who worship different forms of Amman – the mother goddess- and wish to be resettled apart. | |  | | Fiber reinforced plastic boats supplied by NGOs |
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Building a new future There’s now clear evidence the efforts of the administration, communities and non government organizations are paying off. Boats, nets and engines which were destroyed have been replaced. Fishing has largely resumed along the coast. Village livelihoods are springing back to life. New fish landing centers and harbors with upgraded facilities are well under construction. By the middle of next year, most of those who lost their homes will have moved into modern new housing. As the houses come up, a part of the World Bank’s US$ 528.5 million assistance for tsunami reconstruction in India will go towards the provision of water, electricity, sanitation, and drainage in these new settlements. In addition, schools, dispensaries, community halls, cyclone shelters, and roads will be provided. Highways will be rebuilt and damaged fishing harbors restored. But there’s still a note of caution from Shyamal Sarkar, the World Bank’s task leader for the multi-agency India Tsunami Reconstruction Program. “The fact remains that the reconstruction program will create some disparities, “ Sarkar says. “ Those directly affected by the tsunami will have their homes, livelihoods and assets rebuilt for the better, while others in neighboring habitations untouched by the tsunami will remain where they are.” To forestall any resentment from those who’ve not benefited from the post-tsunami assistance, the multilateral agencies coordinated by the Bank have suggested to the Government of India that further development schemes be dove-tailed to the tsunami reconstruction program and targeted to these areas. “Nature gives and nature takes away,” muses Kuppuraj. “Apart from the terrible loss of life,” Shanmugam says, “the tsunami has perhaps brought more than it has taken.” – a reference to the new future just beginning for India’s fisher folk, who lost so much not so long ago. |
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