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Nearly one year on, these resettled families still groping in the dark
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Jace Clive Nesamalar
By S. Rubatheesan
But today, he, along with some 47 families, are still in the dark—literally—without electricity, proper water, or sanitation facilities after almost a year since they were resettled last September after decades-long refugee camp life in Point Pedro.
“It is like putting a fish on land,” said Amalathas, who used to be a fisherman but is now stuck at home following an accident in mid-sea two years ago that took his right leg. His eldest son is supporting the family by going to sea in Point Pedro, travelling almost 18 kilometres by bus to access a fisheries jetty since the closest jetty is yet to be renovated.
Peduruppillai Amalathas
“Earlier before the resettlement, we were told by the authorities that they would provide necessary electricity, roads, and drinking water facilities once we were settled, but come September, it will almost be a year,” Amalathas told the Sunday Times.
“One of my children is sitting for the Ordinary Level exam, and she is studying with a kerosene lamp,” Amalathas said, pointing to the homemade Kuppi lamp in a corner.
The construction of his house under a state housing scheme is nearing completion with loans he took in the past.
The 48 families were the latest batch to be resettled last year in the Tellippalai Divisional Secretariat region, where a total of 512 families have been resettled in different phases and yet to be equipped with electricity alone.
Jace Clive Nesamalar, 34, is too settled with her young family but finds day-to-day living in the resettled village extremely hard.
“We have dinner as early as 6 p.m. Children cannot study at night, and we cannot iron their clothes or recharge mobile phones either because of the lack of electricity,” she told the Sunday Times.
At least ten housing units are yet to be provided with drinking water facilities, and families have alleged that the water distributed through tanks is not safe for drinking.
“We were happy to return after 34 years of struggle. But still, we cannot lead a simple life with basic facilities,” another resettled villager, Nesamalar, said.
Somasuntharam Sukirthan, former Chairman Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha, told the Sunday Times that government authorities should take urgent steps to provide electricity to the village and access roads for people to carry out their daily lives. “Earlier, a team from the Ceylon Electricity Board visited the village, but we haven’t heard from them since then.”
Jaffna’s Acting District Secretary, M. Piratheepan, said his office had already taken up the issue with the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing to provide electricity for the 512 resettled families and had secured a budgetary allocation.
The resettlement village in Palaly North, Tellipalai where at least 48 families are yet to get electricity
“The CEB had already submitted its quotation for the supply as well. We hope to ensure these families are provided with electricity before December,” he said.
Meanwhile, last February, the government released 108 acres of land in Valikamam North that belonged to 197 families. While their land was under the custody of security forces, the families lived in nine temporary refugee camps in Point Pedro.
With more than 3000 acres of private and state land yet to be released from the security forces, at least 150 displaced families are still languishing in refugee camps and renting homes in Point Pedro.
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