ASIA/INDIA - Kerala diocese adopts Tamil Nadu village affected by last year’s tsunami

Thrissur (Fides Service) - The archdiocese of Thrissur and the Carmelite fathers in Kerala have decided to adopt a tsunami affected village in Tamil Nadu, helping to rebuild homes and infrastructures as well as provide for the needs of the homeless. No less than 41 villages in the state of Tamil Nadu were devastated by the December 26 tsunami.
Father George Manadan, Vicar general of the diocese and head of a special Relief Aid Commission charged with co-ordinating aid efforts told Fides that the diocese has decided to take care of Kilmidalam, village in the diocese of Kottar, Tamil Nadu.
“Our people are responding with great generosity to help those devastated people to resume normal life”, said Father Manadan. The diocese intends to assist the villagers until all the families have a home and to supply them with tools and equipment for fishing. In fact the main occupation is fishing and the men need new boats, nets and other objects.
It is also urgent to rebuild the school and supply school material to enable children to start lessons again.
The diocese launched the idea of twinning encouraging other ecclesial realities, religious provinces and associations in India and all over the world to establish a special relation with the local realities in order to provide concrete assistance to tsunami affected villages.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/3/2005 righe 23 parole 245)