But the 26th December has converted this landmark site into a catastrophe. Always this beach is buzzing with activity and on Sundays it has many celebrities visiting as well. Many utilize the coastline and the abetting road for their daily morning walks, plenty of enthusiastic cricket players are found on the shore with unlimited space. The morning time is also busy time for the fisher folk who live on the shores of Marina. They go for fishing in the morning hours of 3 or 4 and come back with their prized catch of fish at around 9 to 10 in the morning. On the shore the women await for their men to bring the fish and it is usually the responsibility of the women folk to market the fish.

Thus on the 26th December number of fisherwomen was on the seashore getting ready to sell their fish. The children were happily playing on the beaches as they did not have school that day.

The Tsunami waves which struck the Marina and the coast of Chennai had taken people unawares. Before people could realize what was happening they were swept off their feet. Those who were fortunate and who could run for their lives ran as fast as they could. Many were trapped in the fishing nets which were layed for drying, they got dashed by the catamarans which were tossed about by the gushing water, the temporary shelters and even the little concrete structures which were abetting the Marina were totally washed out.

This is the first hand report of the plight of the personnel who are affected by the Tsunami in the Srinivasapuram region of Foreshore estate - Chennai which is adjacent to the Marina beach...This fishermen colony (Kuppam in local parlance ) there are around 3000 families in this region and all their huts have been washed away by the seismic waves.

We all had impression that all the huts abetting the seashore are of the fishermen. But today realization drew up that these were not only fishermen but many families may be at least 35 to 40 percent of the families are involved in other livelihood activities. The estimated loss of life in this region is 180. Mostly children, women and the aged were washed away.

All of them have lot of tales to tell the visitors as to how they all ran for their life on the fateful day of the 26th December. Most of them show also the wounds and injuries they have met with while running for life.

The complexities are huge. Now all of them are shelter less. In the morning they are all sitting in their respective ravaged dwelling spots in the hope that if any officials or any help is coming through they should not miss it.

Land mafia is present in this region also. The government had built up tenements right on the seashore for the fisher folk - must be many years back. Now these fishermen have taken rights on the beach (illegally) just opposite to the tenements. They have sold the land (all illegally) for Rs.12, 000 to Rs.15000. Number of poor families who have come from outside Chennai for their livelihood have purchased these lands and put up their houses.

The second category of people is the poor fishermen who are not allotted tenements who have put up their huts there. The third category of people are living in rent in these huts (probably the huts belong to the fisher folk living in the tenements). The fourth category of the people is the fishermen themselves who inspite of having allotment of tenement they have again put up huts and living here and have given to rent the tenement apartment.

With announcement of the relief from the government - the real affected are those who were literally living in the huts. But it seems many a case the owners who have let the hut dwelling for rent are pocketing the benefits - leaving the real victims. If the government is going to provide housing to these victims whether the real victims will benefit or will it be pocketed by the resourceful is a big challenge both to the civil society and to the government.

Now most of the them are living under the direct sun in the ravaged houses as they say they have fear if they move from here somebody may occupy and pocket their relief. Hence they are not moving out from the spot. But in the night all are moving out to the pavements as they are afraid to stay any further on the beach and the stark fear for life is written very clearly on their face.

As per the Coastal Regulation Zone guidelines of the central government there is not supposed to be any human activity or dwelling within the 500 meters of High tide line. In 1991 when this was framed all the coastal states had opposed the norms and it was felt like it was infringement on their powers. Lot of amendments was brought in to enable the private players and tourism promotion in the region. Thus all the guidelines were flouted.

After the Tsunami both the people in the coast and the government are not prepared to take any further risks. Further the fishermen are not interested to live far away from the sea as it hampers their livelihood. They need to safeguard their fishing nets, their catamarans. Now that they have lost their dwellings and their livelihood. Even if the government or the private players want to provide housing it could be only at the alternative sites. Now where are these alternative sites and whether these are feasible for the fishermen are a big question mark?

The media both print and the news media is agog with the enormous relief which is pouring in from within, far and wide states. But as always the delivery mechanism is very poor. With regard to relief work also it is a pathetic situation. All the relief supplies are coming with lot of fanfare to the main road. Most of the relief materials are pocketed by the people who are not affected. Those who are most affected are not leaving their dwellings as they are living in insecurity. Hence food, clothes or any other materials only if it is brought inside without any fanfare can it really reach the most affected.

The government has introduced some token system for giving cash relief of Rs.4000/- . It has also supplied one gunny bag - 60 kgs of rice and after this the food distribution has stopped. In this also again many of them have not received this cash relief. Still some good Samaritans are supplying food and some reach and some do not reach. It is unfortunate that the cash relief received for rebuilding their lives is used by the men folk to consume liquor. Thus many feel that at one end the government is giving cash relief and at the other end it is receiving back the relief through the state sponsored TASMAC shops which are doing good business in supplying liquor.

Many of the able bodied and even elderly men and women are devasted by their own situation. Some are saying, "We ran for our life that day but today we are regretting. Rather than living in this condition we also should have flown away with the water all our problems would have been solved. "This is the common refrain most of them are saying. As now everything is uncertain. They are shelter less, insecurity feeling that they may not get any relief from the government, they are helpless that they are also not able to get any temporary relief as it is hijacked by the others , their future is uncertain. Many say they are not at all thinking about their future. They are now thinking on hourly terms.

Those who were involved in the fishing are not going fishing any further as they neither have nets, nor the catamarans and neither they are confident about the same. There is lot of rumours that fish should not be eaten for the next three months and hence the fish market has no takers. Those who are in the other livelihood other than fishing most of them are employed as domestic servants, manual labour - it is the 12th day where they have not gone to their work.

Numbers of women we have met are also single headed widow women who are further devasted with this situation with no male help and it is only their neighbours who are helping them out.

They are all prepared to take any kind of help you are ready to pitch in. Lot of visitors are coming and they are patiently answering various queries in the hope that they will get some relief and succour in any form be it from government or any other quarters .

There are numerous such pathetic stories. There is also lot of anger and resentment among the people that even in such situations, the outsiders are trying to pocket their relief and pushing them to situation of hopelessness.

People should consider how the relief supplies could effectively reach the ground level affected. Lot of resources is pouring into the coffers of the government and the private sector. It is strange but true that people who raise resources want lot of publicity as well. They would like to be photographed handing over the cheques to the Government relief fund, they would like to be photographed handing the relief materials. What is important is that the delivery mechanism is in appropriate place. People should realize whether their support is reaching the affected? At least at the times of calamity good will should prevail among the government, private and public bodies, NGO's and the political parties the combined mission should be fast relief and rehabilitation. There should be no room for politics and we should not allow the benefits to be pocketed by those who are untouched by this catastrophe.

*Mrs.Sunanda K.S.
Executive Secretary, Alternative For India Development, Plot No.1 VGN Nagar
Iyyapanthangal
Chennai 600 056., Ph: 044-6272336/6490014, e mail:Sunanda@aidindia.net