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January 19, 2005
ANANDA MARGA IN AID TO THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS OF HUT BAY, LITTLE ANDAMAN
Little Andaman is one of the Islands of Andaman group of Islands, which was devastated by Tsunami. Hut Bay is the main town of little Andaman.
Hut Bay, in the backwater area of Little Andaman was severely hit by Tsunami and collapsed like a house of card. Up to 11 KM from the Jetty (port) got severely damaged. For around 4 days, this Island was completely detached from rest of the world. Shipping Company could only resume its emergency services from the 9th of January although it is only 6 hours journey from Port Blair.
Ananda Marga has been running 3 projects in this Little Island.
At 4 KM – a School and a Children’s Home (orphanage) run by Dada Anupamananda Avt,
At 16 KM – a School and a Children’s home run by Didi Ananda Sudhiira of our Women Welfare Department
At 28 KM – a Multipurpose development project (Master Unit with agriculture farming, plantation and a School for the poor run by Dada Nityamuktanandaji.
Ananda Marga monks and nuns who has better knowledge about the people, their culture and their needs started rescuing and serving cooked food with the help of their School guardian and followers from the first day of the occurrence there.
Govt. of Andaman & Nicober Islands has allowed Ananda Marga volunteers to work at Hut Bay area and offered them to work in 3 basic areas – Sanitation, Medical camps and Counseling in addition to our existing food distribution program.
Nearly 25 to 30 thousands people lived in this little Island before Tsunami. Many of them died and many left the Island.
Exact toll in Hut Bay will likely never be known. In fact, hundreds of family lived near the port, mostly fishermen – nobody even survived to record, if anyone of their family survived.
A.M. missionaries and their volunteers have been distributing Milk powder, Utensils, Blankets, Potatoes, beaten rice, Molasses (Gur), footwear and cooked food to 2019 families at different camps of Hut Bay of Little Andaman.
They have distributed 120 Lanterns to 120 families. Central office of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha based in Kolkata, West Bengal will be shipping another consignment of more lanterns and other relief goods to Port Blair on 21st of January.
Camp wise number of families benefited: -
1. Ounge Tikri – (a camp for the Ounge tribes) In the beginning outsiders were not allowed to help them except govt. From 16th govt. started allowing the Team from Ananda Marga to serve cooked food to them.
2. Corporation Camp- 20 families
3. Kicaar Nala – 144 families
4. Pancha Tikri – 20 families.
5. P – Marine Guest House – 30 families.
6. FDC Guest House – 20 families
7. Model School – 50 families
And in Najafnagar and Kowari Camp.
Avadhutiika Ananda Sudhiira Acarya (Didi), a dedicated nun of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha has been doing counseling in different camps and in her school for the children under the banner of Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team – Ladies (AMURTEL).
Over the first one week some people have died because of infection and breathing failure. Ananda Marga’s medical team provided by the Govt. and local Rotary Club has been providing medical services in all these camps.
The organizers of the Disaster Relief Coordination Committee of Ananda Marga are in constant touch with the Government officials for the Orphan children to take them in Ananda Marga’s own children’s home.
Local Rotary club, Bharat Sevashram Samgha is working along with the team of Ananda Marga based in Ananda Marga Ashram at 4 KM.
A team of five monks and a nun of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha Central have left for for Vishakapattanam yesterday to catch a ship to Andaman & Nicober Islands. Another survey team also left today to Cuddalore and Nagapattanam (Tamilnadu) for long term development and rehabilitation program there. Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha through its branch, Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT) is proposing for rehabilitation of orphan children and further environmental protection program in Tamilnadu as well as in Andaman & Nicober Islands.
As soon as the team arrives at Port Blair, which left from Kolkata (Calcutta) via Vishakapattanam, will go to Cambell Bay in Great Nicober (Andaman & Nicober Islands).
Reported by:
Acarya Sutiirthananda Avadhuta,
Tsunami Relief Coordinator, Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha – Central
Kolkata, West Bengal - India
Posted by AMURTWorld at January 19, 2005 04:58 PM