Salem students turn Good Samaritans, build huts for 55 fishermen in Gaja-hit village

Gaja had devastated the entire Delta region on November 16 and most had lost their homes and belongings and made to stay in makeshift camps across the region. Among them, 32 fishermen hamlets including Athirampattinam, Sethubavachathiram and Mallipattinam were destroyed and many huts had been blown away.

While support had poured in from various sections, a team from the Emarald Valley Public School, Salem, had also visited the devastated regions. Moved by the living condition of the fishermen, they resolved to make a difference to their lives and help ease their sufferings. They later visited nine hamlets among the 32 which were the most affected and decided to construct thatched houses for 26 families from Keezhathottam Mettu Theru and 29 from Nadiammalpuram near Athirampattinam.

“We decided to involve our school children in the noble cause and asked them to collect funds. Surprisingly, they collected Rs 16 lakh and the school administration helped with another Rs 5 lakh wand with the money in hand, we went to the villages along with student volunteers and started construction work. 

We began in December and completed by the end of January,” said Vikraman, coordinator of the programme and a PTA member. He said that the students, along with local residents, helped in building the houses. “Since these hamlets are very close to the seashore, concrete houses may corrode soon and so we built thatched houses with cement basements and pillars,” he added. The students also constructed wells, borewells and got power supply.

On Thursday, the school team, along with the school administration and teachers, went to the spots and the School Correspondent, Meena, handed over the houses to each beneficiary.