Restoration work at the Tamaraikulam Elders Village after Cyclone Thane struck Tamil Nadu Coast

HelpAge NDTV Elders Village After Cyclone Thane.pdf link

Tamil Nadu welcomed 2012 with celebrations but it was a dark new year for people in Cyclone Thane-hit Cuddalore and Chidambaram districts. It caused a lot of damage to the Tamaraikulam Elders Village, Cuddalore with water and power supply being hit. Named the HelpAge India-NDTV Viewers' Elders' Village, also called Tamaraikulam(literally, "the lotus pond" in Tamil),the elders' village is an innovative Age care facility of HelpAge India. Often referred to as Tamaraikulam Elders' Village (TEV), its foundation stone was laid on 18th May 2006 and was inaugurated on 17th December 2007.

Essential commodities are scarce and reconstruction work has just begun. The damage caused and reconstruction costs are still being worked upon. 3 Mobile Medicare Units and 3 Water Tankers with Sintex tanks are serving the villages on designated routes and villages. Cuddalore is still in darkness and fighting for survival. Essential commodities are coming in but still short of demand. In the Elders Village, a 75 KV Genset given by the administration is being installed just to run the drinking water borewell to be used as a Drinking Water Tanker Refilling point. The Elders Village is limping back to normal with the help of few labourers and volunteers.