Nagore : 09 November 2006. It is celebration time for the hapless tsunami victims of the Chilladi village near Nagore. For those who lost everything when Killer Tsunami struck them two years back, it is dream come true. Yes. Today they have become happy owners of brand new homes.
By the grace of God and with the active co-operation of the Tamil Nadu Government and its agencies along with the help of Muslim Aid, a UK-based charity organisation, Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT), Chennai has achieved the gigantic feat of conceiving, constructing and distributing 100 homes to the tsunami victims.
The keys of the newly constructed houses were distributed to the victims in a simple function arranged here at the auditorium of the G.S. Pillay college of Engineering at Thethi village. Mr. Ebrahimsa Muhammad, Advisor to Muslim Aid gave away the keys to the beneficiaries. First came Akber Ali and then Tajuddin followed by Kaliappan and others.
Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari, President of the Human Welfare Trust, New Delhi inaugurated the function organised to commemorate the distribution of 100 homes to the tsunami victims. In his inaugural address he highlighted the stress and importance given to the social service in Islamic teachings. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has clearly stated the “the best among you is the one who is kind to every human being”. We should strive to serve the entire humanity, he opined.
Dr. Ansari, who represents several organisations of India , is an erudite scholar and professor from Rabindranath Tagore’s Vishwa Bharathi University . He has done his Masters from Havard University of USA.
Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad, Advisor Muslim Aid, was the guest of honour at the function arranged to commemorate the distribution of houses to the tsunami victims. He handed over the keys of the houses to Mr Gopal, DRO and representative of the district collector and a high ranking official as a symbolic gesture. In his address Mr Muhammad appreciated the work done by IFT and expressed hope that IFT would continue building homes and hopes to the destitute and neglected segments of the society. He also introduced the mission and activities of Muslim Aid briefly.
Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb Chairman, Islamic Foundation Trust, in his presidential address, appealed to the people to make the new colony a model village. He also highlighted the significant features of the houses. The cluster of 100 houses spread over six acres of land has been constructed at the cost of Rs. two crores and a half. The land has been provided by the Government of Tamil Nadu and major chunk of funding has been done by Muslim Aid, UK , Mr. Abdur Raqeeb said.
Each house has been constructed on 400 sq. feet area in a 1300 sq. feet plot. It consists of a drawing room, a hall, a bed room, kitchen and bathroom with stair case to the terrace. A spacious veranda and sit-out is an added attraction, elaborated Mr. Abdur Raqeeb.
The cluster of houses presents a glorious spectacle with the line up of similar looking, beautifully crafted and neatly painted glittering houses dotting the lines. The newly formed colony has been named aptly Samarasam Nagar. ‘Samarasam’ means peace and harmony, he said.
“We could easily build houses with bricks, sand and stone. But homes could be built only through love alone. So I appeal to the people to make the new colony a model village in which there will be harmony, peace, love and brotherhood to the core. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would give paramount importance to education and attain and maintain 100% literacy. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony in the shores of Bay of Bengal would observe and practise all the good things, noble virtues and gentle qualities. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would abhor and detest all the evil things like drinking alcohol and drugs, etc. We pray to the Almighty that they become self-sufficient and lead a noble life,” Mr. Abdur Raqeeb stressed.
The highlight of the presidential speech is the passionate introduction of two selfless souls as true role models to those in the field of social service to the august gathering. They were Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad of Muslim Aid and Mr Younus Bhai of Parangipettai. Both were present at the dais. Mr Raqeeb extolled the virtues of Ibrahimsa and Younus Bhai. Mr Ibrahimsa symbolises simplicity and social service, he said.
Mr. Gopal, RDO, who participated in the function as a representative of Mr. Tenkasi S. Jawahar, the District Collector, felicitated the beneficiaries and assured the inhabitants of the new colony that the road-laying work would be carried on war footing. Mr. V. Marimuthu. M.L.A graced the occasion with his flowery speech. Mr. Muhammad Younus, Chairman, Parangipettai Panchayat, Mr. Karunanidhi, Principal, G.S. Pillay Engineering College, Mr. M. Muhammad Khalifa Sahib Kadiri, Managing Trustee, Nagore Dargah, Mr. M.G.K. Nizamudeen , President, Nagore Muslim Jamaat, Ms. Annie George, CEO NCRC, Mr. Sundramurthy, Panchayat President, Thethi village, Mr. Amjad Saleem, Director, Muslim Aid, Sri Lanka and Dr K.V.S. Habeeb Muhammad, vice chairman spoke on the occasion. Mr. Shabbeer Ahmed, General Secretary, Islamic Foundation Trust proposed a vote of thanks.
Muslim Aid is a UK-based charity organisation has been rendering social service in more than 60 countries spread over the four continents. Muslim Aid has been recognised as an exemplary service organisation and has been assigned a mammoth World Bank project of constructing hundreds and hundreds of homes to the victims of tsunami in Indonesia .
Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT), Chennai swung into action on that fateful day of December 26, 2004 when tsunami struck the coastal line of Tamilnadu and immediately started its relief activities forming four hubs at Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagore and Kanyakumari. IFT volunteers spread out to different places and worked day and night to provide immediate relief for the affected. They distributed Relief Kits containing essential items including stoves, tarpaulins, bedsheets, provision items, etc. The women volunteers joined their male colleagues in counselling the affected at the relief camps.
The IFT also constructed 100 Temporary Shelters with necessary facilities for the victims at a land offered by the government near the collectorate in Nagore besides providing books, school bags, etc. for the affected students.
It also provided 16 boats for the people affected at Jameelabad in Pazhaverkadu near Ponneri, a place nearly 30 kms away from Chennai.