Exiled to home

‘‘I kept telling my aunt, Swarnam, that we should go back to the camp at Assisi Church, Nagercoil. Reaching her house she asked me ‘Who will take us back? Didn’t you hear the conductor say that we cannot enjoy a free return trip?’ We were forced out of the camp. When we approached a priest to permit us to stay back, another priest said something in English and we were given the marching orders,’’ lamented 22-year-old Arokiyam.

More than 300 families have been sent back to the village since Friday morning. Swarnam (60), whose son Selvaraj sustained severe injuries, said: ‘‘I am waiting for my son to return from the hospital. Unless he ventures out into the sea, we will die of starvation.’’ She had only a little gruel in the morning and nothing thereafter. ‘‘People in other camps were given some rice as they left. But we got nothing.’’

Pushpakala (30) kept staring at the sea, while making an effort to scrape the coconut she was given at Carmel School. Every other building around her house has vanished into thin air. ‘‘Sir, do you believe we are safe here? This is a graveyard. Will anybody come forward to rehabilitate us?’’

The relief managers do not deny that people are being sent out against their wishes. M.S. Rajan, who has been coordinating the Ilamkadai Church camp, said: ‘‘For the past three days, Manakkudi priest Rev. Benoraj has been asking us to send back people whose houses are safe. The government have stopped supply of food after December 30. Officials said it was for the people to manage on their own as the government had given them an interim relief of Rs 4,000. We are running the show here with donations from NGOs and some locals.’’

Rajan added that on a daily basis, they spend Rs 2,400 on shamianas and cooks. ‘‘Despite all that we have done, officials are blaming us. They say people will leave only if we stop providing them food.’’

District Collector Ramesh Chand Meena chose to differ. Talking to The Indian Express, he said no government official was forcing people back to their houses. Asked what the administration could do when most of the camps were being run by private agencies, he said: ‘‘Now that it has been brought to my notice, I will make alternative arrangements. We have to shift people before the schools reopen on January 17. Fire-proof huts are being set up in various parts of the district for the purpose. Till then we will accommodate them in some marriage halls.’’