Slow relief work irks tsunami survivors in A&N

Tsunami-hit people hailing from eastern states complained that they were not being sent homes despite repeated pleas.

The 'slow pace' of rehabilitation has made people uprooted from tsunami-hit islands of Andaman and Nicobar restless with those hailing from eastern states complaining that they were not being sent homes despite repeated pleas.

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Hundreds of Tsunami victims hailing from west Bengal and other eastern states like Jharkhand, who are currently housed in different relief camps in Port Blair, also allege that those hailing from Tamil Nadu and other southern states were already sent back to their homes but "nobody is bothered about us".

The victims — mainly contract labourers who mainly hailed from worst hit Car Nicobar and Hut Bay and had lost everything — said they were languishing in the camps for the last six days in Port Blair, as their repeated appeal to the administration and local MP Manoranjan Bhakta did not yield any result so far.

Deepak Mondal, one of the Tsunami victim at the camp who hails from West Bengal said, "all those from southern states housed in Rabindra Bangla School camp were taken back to their homes but nobody is bothered for us."

Mohar Ali, who is from Haldia, said that although they were provided food regularly, but still they were facing great difficult in camps and want to return home.

"We pleaded with the local MP and people from the administration who visited the camps but our appeals have fallen on deaf ears so far. West Bengal government should put pressure on local administration for our early return," he said.