The Environmentally Induced Displaced People in Tamil Nadu: Resettlement Experience and

Rebuilding Livelihood Strategies

C. Valatheeswaran and Dr. S. Irudaya Rajan Centre for Development Studies,

Trivandrum, India

Asian Development Bank

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian

Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data

included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on

ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

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Introduction

Following the tsunami on 26th December 2004, the coastal regions of SothernIndia States (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman Nicobar Islands)were severely affected.

Among the costal regions in India, the Nagapattinam district of the TN State hadfaced major destruction in terms of dead, injured, missing, displaced peopleand destruction of infrastructure (see table 1).

Fishing industry faced major damages in terms of the destruction ofinfrastructure such as harbours, catamarams, boats, and fishing gears.

In addition, nearly 9567.09 hectares of agricultural land was sand casted by thetsunami, which led the small and marginal farmers to lose their primarylivelihood, land, water, standing crops and fodder.

Many studies focusing on the impact of the tsunami on household assets,fishing infrastructure, ground water, soil and agriculture (Kume et al. 2009;Ravisankar and Poongothai, 2008; Mascarenhas and Jayakumar, 2008).

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Objectives of the Study

To examine the manner in which the displaced peoplewere rehabilitated by the government/NGOs, and theimpact of institutional relief assistance on theirhousehold assets.

In addition, attempt to study the pre- and post-disasterlivelihood condition of the internally displaced people inNagapattinam district.

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Data and Methodology

Secondary Data

– Department of Disaster Management and Mitigation, GoTN

– Local NGOs

Techniques of collecting primary data

– Field survey

– 100 sample HHs in two fishing villages

– Focus group discussion

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Rehabilitation Assistance and It’s Impact on Capital Assets

Physical Capital– Permanent houses for displaced people within 500m away from the

seashore. All the houses were insured for ten years.

– The Government/NGOs had provided compensation (money and fishingmaterials) to owners who lost their fisheries infrastructure in the tsunami(See table 2).

Financial Assets– Cash assistance for loss of lives, injured, houses damages

– Cash dole led to migrating abroad for employment purpose

– Fishermen families had given their permanent houses to outsiders for rent

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Permanent Houses in Nagapattinam District

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Human Asset– Most parents did not allow their childrens to go in for higher education

– NGOs were provided free education to the children of displaced people atthe evening

– The state government was providing scholarship, free books, bus pass,uniform, and bicycle to children who were studying in the governmentschools.

– The government brought in a large number of doctors to treat the injured,to maintain the basic level of hygiene and prevent the outbreak ofepidemics.

– Counsellors were also brought in to talk to the distraught and help themmanage the emotional trauma of losing a loved one and coping with theaftermath of such a massive disaster.

– Government offered free reverse sterilization operation to women who lostchildren in the tsunami and had previously undergone the sterilizationoperation

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Social Asset― Displaced people were rehabilitated by the organisation of SHGs that

provided them with loans and skill development training programmes forrestoring their livelihood

― The government had offered financial assistance to widows to get remarry.Consequently, many men remarried. But widows could not remarry due tolack of support from their community and family

― NGOs had provided them employment training and micro credit tostrengthen their livelihood.

― Participation in the local political parties

Natural Asset― Influx of seawater caused salinization problems for soil and ground water,

and also induced salt injuries in crops

― Salinization problem were recovered after a period of time due to themonsoon rainfall in the district

― The ADB had provided Rs. 895 lakhs to repair and improve the damagedwater supply system and public toilet facilities in the tsunami affectedvillages. Added to that, the State Government had also provided anamount of up to Rs. 403.2 lakhs for the water supply scheme. 9

Skill Development Training

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Impact of tsunami on traditional livelihood option

Due to the tsunami, certain types of fish had disappeared resultingin a fall in the overall fish production.

As a result, people diversified their income generating activitiesinto other casual labour jobs.

Women who were selling fish before the tsunami found newoccupations such as tailoring and retail business after the tsunami.Young women work in the beauty parlour, computer centers andnursing jobs in private and government hospitals.

Men switched their primary occupation from fishing to otheroccupation such as running auto-rickshaw, electrical work,migration to abroad, and mechanical jobs

NREGP had helped them to enhance their livelihood security

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Thanks for your attention

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