As repair and reconstruction work on tsunami rehabilitation houses gathers pace across fishing villages in Nagapattinam district’s rural area, many residents say they are being pushed into an impossible choice — to demolish damaged homes during the monsoon, without adequate funds or clarity on support, or risk being denied assistance altogether.
More than two decades after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which devastated large stretches of the Nagapattinam coast, the very houses built to rehabilitate survivors have now become a source of anxiety. Of the 9,000-odd tsunami houses in the district, around 6,000 are reported to be damaged, with at least 3,000 categorised as severely unsafe, according to official records.
In Pushpavanam, a fishing village where many families were relocated to tsunami colonies after being moved away from the sea, the pace of demolition has left several women uncertain about how to rebuild.
Jaya V., a fisherwoman with two school-going children aged 12 and 13, lives with her husband in a temporary hut after demolishing their severely damaged house. She says she has already exhausted the first instalment of assistance she received.
“My house was declared fully damaged and I was told I would get ₹2.7 lakh. They asked me to demolish it even though this is the rainy and flood season,” she said. “So far, I have received only ₹54,000. That amount is not even sufficient for the work done till now.”
Officials supplied her with 100 bags of cement (50 kg each) and iron rods, but she was told the cost would be deducted from the total assistance. “What they are giving is not even enough to complete the ground floor,” she said. “I have no more money to go ahead.”
Fishing families, she added, had lost income because of rough seas in recent weeks. “We don’t have any other profession. Only if our husbands go to sea do we earn. When there is no fishing, there is no income. How can we manage construction now?” she asked.
She said bank loan had not been arranged. Since the tsunami houses are registered in the name of the District Collector, not the beneficiaries, families cannot use land documents as collateral for institutional loans, forcing many to turn to private lenders charging high interest.
Similar concerns were raised by Vadivazhagi K., who lives in the same colony with her husband and three sons. Her house has been classified as fully damaged .“They are asking us to demolish the house in a day or two,” she said. “I don’t have funds to start construction. When officials come and keep insisting, what are we supposed to do?” she asked.
At Vellapallam fishing village, fisherwoman M. Ilayarani echoed these concerns while R. Indira Kumari of Vanavan Mahadevi village said her house, though showing severe structural damage, had been assessed as only partially damaged.
“They say I will get only ₹1 lakh for repairs. What can I do with that amount when the damage is so serious?” she asked.
At Kameswaram, where around 180 tsunami houses are located, Sagunthala V. and Mala M. said residents were being told to complete demolition and reconstruction within three months.
At Seruthur, fisherwoman R. Rani alleged that inspections were inadequate. “Officials decide the category without even entering the house,” she said.
Schemes, constraints
Under the current norms, families with partially damaged tsunami houses are eligible for up to ₹1 lakh for repairs while those with fully damaged houses can avail assistance of ₹2.7 lakh for reconstruction under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam or the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
However, the assistance comes with restrictions on the built-up area — typically up to 300 sq. metres — while many tsunami houses constructed earlier measure between 360 and 400 sq. metres.
When contacted, officials from the Fisheries and Rural Development departments said they were not forcing beneficiaries but were working within a fixed timeline to complete the work.
A senior official in the district administration said he would look into the grievances raised by the residents. “We will examine the issues and do the needful,” he said.
Published – December 19, 2025 05:57 pm IST
