ASIA/INDIA - Three months since the tsunami, great progress has been made to resettle refugees and rebuild infrastructures in south east India: great effort on the part of the local Catholic Church

Hyderabad (Fides Service) - A continual coming and going of people, vehicles, volunteers and religious. Three months since the tsunami, at the Social Services Centre of the diocese of Vijayawada, in the south eastern state of Andra Pradesh, there is much activity. Now that the emergency stage is over, work consists mainly of resettling the refugees helping them return to normal life, and rebuilding homes, schools, state buildings and repairing infrastructures, roads, telephone lines, electricity services damaged by the 26 December disaster.
In a detailed report sent to Fides from the diocese of Vijayawada, the director of the Centre, Father Balaswamy, told Fides of the work undertaken by dedicated priests, religious and laity, and about progress made in rebuilding.
In the meantime Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu, formed a special Commission to oversee operations, destination of economic aid received, to follow programmes also to guarantee donors maximum transparency and seriousness in humanitarian efforts.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/3/2005 righe 20 parole 245)