Tsunami Update - Tamil Nadu

[Guest guest]

UPDATE ON THE RELIEF WORK AND THE REQUIREMENTS IN TAMIL NADU as on Jan 3rd.

 

Dear Friends,

 

With the worst emergency behind us, I am giving below an update based on

first-hand visits to several places and reports received from our

volunteers and others listed below. It is most important that, after the

TV and news crews leave and the spotlight is no longer on this tragedy,

that we continue our efforts. As animal welfare people, we are concerned

about individual animals suffering and there is a lot to be done.

 

This report is being written after getting inputs from:

 

1. Ms.Bhargavi M.Devendra, Hony. Secretary, Tamil Nadu Branch Red Cross

Society

2. Feed back from New Delhi Television crews on the coast.

3. Representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), including

Ms.Kalpana (Co-ordinator, Chennai), Mr.Chandrasekar, CII Liaison with

the Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr.Franklien (based at Pondycherry,

co-ordinating Cuddalore relief work), Mr.Raju and Mr.Isaac at Pondicherry.

4. Mrs.Clementien Pauws, President, Karuna Society, Puttaparthy, A.P.,

Co-ordinator camping and working at Cuddalore.

5. Mr.Karthik Sathyanarayana of Wildlife-SOS and Friendicoes, New Delhi;

6. Mr.Rahul Sehgal of Animal Help Foundation who has visited on behalf

of Animal Aid Unlimited, Rajasthan/US;

7. Ms.Chanda Walke,

8. Mr. Gagandeep Singh Bedi, IAS, District Collector, Cuddalore

and many others

 

1. It is fortunate that there has been relatively few deaths to wild

life in the affected areas. This is not to say that there has not been

a large amount of destruction to turtles and sea life washed ashore by

the tsunami.

2. Immediate damage due to the tsunami to domesticated animals has

been far below what could have been expected from a major calamity like

this.

3. Without, in any way belittling the deaths of animals by the tsunami,

we are at present concerned with preventing and alleviating the

suffering of the surviving animals.

4. Our volunteers were on the beaches of Chennai within minutes of the

tsunami striking and volunteers like Mrs.Shanti Shankar and Mrs.Radha

Rajan (President of Vigil) helped save many tethered animals by cutting

them free. Several rat snakes and a cobra rescued from the flood

waters were handed over to the Government Forest Department at Snake

Park. Many pups and injured dogs were removed to the Blue Cross

shelter. Many of the volunteers have been temporarily housing as many

as 15 dogs each in their houses in Besant Nagar for the last 7 days.

Starting from Monday, our volunteers led by Ms.Gayathri Ramesh, have

been feeding dogs on the city beaches once a day.

For the last 5 days, our volunteers led by Ms.Chanda Walke, have been

going in trucks carrying fodder (hay and grass) to the cattle in the

coastal areas and food for the dogs .

Ms.Clementien Pauws and her team of four of Karuna Society, have left

Chennai on 2/1/2005, and are carrying food and water for the animals

between Pondicherry and Cuddalore. She is also carrying required

medical supplies and equipment.

I have just spoken to Mr.Gagandeep Singh Bedi, IAS, District Collect of

Cuddalor. He has informed me that a total of 745 poultry/goats and 45

cattle perished in the tsunami. The condition of the surviving animals

is satisfactory. However, the Dy. Director of Animal Husbandary

Dr.Leonard (Mobile No.09441-65018) may require some vaccines and other

help which is in poor supply and will be getting back to me regarding

his needs.

It has been observed that even the healthy animals are getting weakened

due to lack of potable water. All water sources in the coastal areas

have been affected by the sea water and have become saline. The

immediate requirement now is to ensure that surviving animals receive

water and food. This would include water and food for cattle.

 

A very touching scene in some of the relief camps including the one at

Olcott Memorial School in Besant Nagar was the large number of dogs

which the people have taken with them and with whom they were sharing

the food provided by relief agencies. This brings to mind what Jack

London said about charity: " Charity is not giving a bone to a hungry

dog. Sharing your food with a hungry dog when you are equally hungry -

that alone is charity. "

 

In view of the water situation, the Blue Cross is now trying to mobilse

water tankers to get water from inland sources to the coastal areas

which can be given to the animals there. Since potable water is in

very short supply even for the people, volunteers the of Blue Cross and

others like Clementien working in coastal areas have been told that they

should keep water sachets which can be given to the people while water

is being given to animals so that people do not feel that animals are

being given water when people do not have enough. Drinking water has

become a very major requirement.

 

While so much goodwill and fellow-feeling has been shown in the

immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the baser side of human nature is

now tending to show. Lorry drivers have doubled their charges

and price of fodder has gone up. Added to this, volunteers who have

been working and putting up with so much personal inconvenience are

beginning to tire out. Added to this, the daily heavy work load at the

Blue Cross is beginning to be fall behind. We can only imagine the

problems other organisations like Karuna Society must be having with

their President and others working 600 kms. away in Cuddalore.

 

To sum up, what is really required at this point is more volunteers who

can speak Tamil and money for buying and transporting food and water.

The requirement of medicines, vaccines etc. if required by the Animal

Husbandary Department will be communicated as soon as I get the details.

 

WSPA have committed to send US $ 15,000 and many others have pledged

much needed funds. These include - Maneka Gandhi; Animal People of the

US & Kim Bartlett; Jill Robinson of Animals Asia Foundation; Dr.Mark

Rissi, Swiss Animal Protection; Ahimsa Foundation; Mr. N. Sugal Chand

Jain of Singhvi Charitable Trust; Erika Abrams, Animal Aid Unlimited

in Rajasthan and USA; Mr. Phillip Wollen of The Winsome Constance

Kindness Trust; Ms. Marcelle Meredith of the NSPCA of South Africa; Ms.

Kay Mayfield, United Animal Nations; Mike & Ellie Maynard of Sirius; Ms.

Terri Crisp of Noah's Wish; Ms. Weitraub and Mr.Robin Krish.

 

Shall keep you updated.

 

With thanks to all of you.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

Chairman

Blue Cross of India, Chennai

www.bluecross.org.in <http://www.bluecross.org.in>

 

=======================================

 

Dr. S. Chinny Krishna

MTech,MS, PhD, FIE, FIIChE

Managing Director

 

Aspick Engineering P. Ltd.

D 5 Industrial Estate

Guindy, Chennai 600 032, India

 

Phone: +91 44 2234 1399 / 3839 / 8849 / 1878

Direct: +91 44 2233 1091

Fax: +91 44 2234 9801 / 2232 5219

 

www.aspick.com <http://www.aspick.com>

 

--

Dave Neale

UK Director

Animals Asia Foundation

 

ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE!

Find out more about our historic China Bear Rescue and Friends or Food? projects

by visiting the Animals Asia Foundation website at http://www.animalsasia.org