First Workshop on Tsunami Rehabilitation

in association with A.V.C. College of Engineering (AVCCE),
Institute for Sustainable Development and Research, ISDR, India
IAPSO Commission on Groundwater-Seawater Interactions, CGSI

8-10 April 2005

held at A.V.C. College of Engineering, Mayilduthurai, Nagai District, Tamil Nadu

Workshop Opening Speech at the bottom of this page

Photos from the Workshop

Opening Session: (l. to r.): Dr.Radhakrishnan, District Collector, Nagapattinam; Mr.Karthikeyan, Chairman –AVCCE, Dr.A.V.Parvate, Principal AVCCE; Dr.A.G.Bhole President,ISDR.

 

(l. to r.): Dr.Lalit Chaudhari, Vice President, ISDR; Dr. Bhattarcharji, NIT-Kurukshetra; Dr.Surjeet Angra, NIT-Kurukshetra; Dr.M.C.Satyanarayana, AVC College of Science.

 

(l. to r.): Dr.Vijay Wani -NIT-Kurukshetra (designated co-ordinator for second workshop); Dr. MCS; Dr. Bhattarcharji; Mr.Tyagrajan.

 

Field trip participants: A field trip to the affected area was included in the workshop programme.

 

Selective damage: These houses were not affected by the tsunami as the compound wall absorbed the tidal force. The wall, as can be seen in the photos, was destroyed.

 

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Address by
Chairman Thiru S. Karthikeyan, Chairman of AVC, Mayiladuthurai

Honourable chief guest of today's inaugural function of the National Workshop on Tsunami Rehabilitation, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, District Collector, Nagapattinam, Honourable Dr. Anand Bhole, President, ISDR, our beloved treasurer Thiru S. Sugumar, Vice President of ISDR and member of IAPSO - CGSI, Dr. Lalitkumar Chaudhari, our learned Principal, Dr. Arun V. Parwate, scientists and researchers from all over the country, member of NGO's, invited guests, Principal & faculties of our sister Institutions, and elite dignitaries of Mayiladuthurai, press & media representatives and my dear students……., friends……..., ladies & gentlemen….

I am very happy to be with you today on the occasion of the inauguration of the three-day National Workshop on Tsunami Rehabilitation. It is indeed a great pride to AVC that this national event is taking place in our A.V.C. Engineering College. The tsunami tragedy along the south Asian coast changed the lives of millions of affected people. Several NGO's played an important role in the provision of immediate rehabilitation for the victims of the tsunami. Recognising the social responsibility, AVC has provided immediate shelter for 4000 tsunami-affected people in our AVC Kalyana Mandapam. For life to return to normal for the tsunami-affected population, systematic scientific and technology-based efforts are needed. Also we should focused on cost effective methods for tsunami rehabilitation. This important meeting will examine, among other items, the relation between the socio-economic dimension and scientific and technological methods and relevance to early rehabilitation programme. During this three days, the professional will examine the possibility of the formation of an NGO task force to study the tsunami rehabilitation programme based on local resources & local technologies. A.V.C. College of Engineering accepted the responsibility of providing necessary infrastructural and Institutional help for these workshops for conducting research and development and work related to tsunami rehabilitation.

The proposed ISDR - AVC - CGSI Resource Center on Tsunami at AVC College of Engineering will be beneficial to the local affected population to understand the tsunami phenomenon, its impact on ecology -, environment and economy of the coastal region. The proposed tsunami center will be helpful to find economical rehabilitation solutions to local people. The AVC College of Engineering extends the co-operation to provide all necessary help for the success of this center for scientists and researchers in this region and other part of the country as well as to some extent other related organisations and individuals in different parts of the globe.

Finally I would like to thank and appreciate the effort taken by AVC College of Engineering, our Principal Dr. Arun V.Parwate, for organising this important workshop. I would also like to thank Dr. Anand G.Bhole, president of ISDR for organising the workshop at AVC College of Engineering. I also thank the various organisations for providing their timely input for this workshop.

Also I would like to thank the chairman of IAPSO - CGSI for his immediate support for organising this workshop and Resource Center on Tsunami.

I am grateful to the Hoourable Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, District Collector of Nagai, for accepting our invitation and giving us encouragement and his valuable advice for organising this workshop. We look forward to receiving his continuous co-operation and guidance in these initiatives.

Thank you for your patient listening. I wish all the success for the workshops and the Resource Center on Tsunami.

Thank you one and all.

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