Please come back Vivek!

Please come back Vivek!
Saturday, December 24, 2005 13:28 IST
By Santa Banta News Network
Actor Vivek Oberoi is a real life hero for Devanampattinam, a fishing village in Tamil Nadu where he helped villagers find the rhythm of life after last year's disastrous tsunami.

Squatting on the cemented floor of his hut built by Vivek soon after the Dec 26, 2004, disaster, Velumurgan, 16, told: "The actor helped us stand up when we were down. He promised to help us start walking again."

The teenager quickly added: "But Vivek never came back again."

Following the devastation in the village, 10 km away from Cuddalore town, Vivek built 100 huts at a location nearly two kilometres away from the coast under his project called "Hope".

The administration has also built 200 huts at the same location.

A total of some 2,500 people live in these huts, most of which have palm leaves for roofs. The others have cemented sheets as roofing and steel sheets as walls.

Muthuraman, the district coordinator for the NGO Mata Amritanandamayi Math, which has been associated with the rehabilitation work, said: "Vivek completed the first two stages of rehabilitation work quickly. First relief and rescue and, second, providing temporary shelter.

"He also wanted to be involved in the third stage - to provide livelihood support and permanent shelter.

"But he left his work half done because of his clash with the state government and interference of others engaged in rehabilitation work. Seeing him attracting attention, they wanted him away from the place as soon as possible."

The government had accused Vivek of drawing "maximum publicity" for doing "nothing tangible".

Following that, the Bollywood star moved his housing project to neighbouring Pondicherry, where he recently completed reconstruction of nearly 100 dwellings.

In Cuddalore district, where around 500 people perished in the tsunami waves, the administration has still not been able to complete the 642 brick-and-mortar houses it undertook for construction.

These are expected to be ready by the middle of January - in time for the Pongal festival.

Admitting that rains had seriously hampered the construction of permanent shelters, Cuddalore district collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi said: "We are racing against time to complete the houses."

Many villagers, while being grateful to Vivek, are not happy with the palm leaf roofs.

"This is not sufficient to prevent rain water from seeping into our huts. When it rains, we go to a nearby temple," said 45-year-old Umaya, who sent her daughter Bhubaneswari, 22, to stay with her brother in Chennai because of the difficult living conditions in the village.

Though the government-built huts seem better, the low ground level makes them unsuitable during monsoon.

Anpalagan, 70, said: "These huts look solid comparatively. But when it rains, water enters because of their low ground level. It creates water-logging because of the way they have been made."
Varun Dhawan Unveils First Poster of 'Nain Matakka' Featuring Keerthy Suresh!

Varun Dhawan's upcoming film Baby John is already creating waves in the entertainment world. The latest buzz surrounds the highly anticipated track "Nain Matakka," and the excitement reached new heights when Varun shared the

Friday, November 22, 2024
'Agni' Trailer Unveiled: A Tribute to Firefighters' Bravery and Sacrifice!

The much-anticipated trailer for Agni, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Rahul Dholakia, was released on Thursday, offering a gripping look into the world of firefighters, their bravery, and the sacrifices they make to protect

Friday, November 22, 2024
Sara Ali Khan Shares Fun BTS Moments from Ad Shoot, Invites Fans to Let Their Spirits Soar!

Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan recently took to Instagram to share a delightful behind-the-scenes (BTS) glimpse from her latest advertisement shoot, revealing her cheerful mood and creative spirit. In a playful and heartwarming post, Sara shared a video

Friday, November 22, 2024
Kartik Aaryan Enjoys Quality Time with 'Sea, Sand, and Sun' at IFFI Goa!

Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan, who is currently in Goa for the prestigious International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and Filmazaar, took a moment to unwind and connect with nature. The actor shared a series of serene pictures on his Instagram, showcasing

Friday, November 22, 2024
Shehnaaz Gill Starts Shooting for Punjabi Film: A New Journey Begins!

Actress and social media sensation Shehnaaz Gill is all set to embark on a new chapter in her career, as she commences shooting for her upcoming Punjabi film. The actress shared her excitement with her fans on Instagram, marking this milestone

Friday, November 22, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT