Tsunami Rehab proposals :

Bharathi Nagar cuddalore -
 * Siddamma to send photos of bharathi nagar
 * A donor offered to collect sarees for bharathi nagar
 * 3 days before diwali : family token system to distribute clothes,food,vessels
 * All families celebrated diwali
 * Livelihood generation activities will be the next aspect
 * Construction of houses going in full swing. Some delay in actual plans. Hopefully should be completed by next month.
 * Kids have recovered in Bharathi Nagar
 * Headmaster from karrikupam volunteered to help.. 
 * Request collector for building school next year
 * Road facilities to be improved in bharathi nagar
 * RDO, collector and other govmt officials were present during diwali and were very happy about progress.
 * RDO and government finally moved in alloting community certficates for 40 people. A lot more to be done. 
   But, this is a significant progress. The families were not even in voters' lists and were not even considered citizens earlier.

Education/Schools in 8 tsunami affected villages -
 * Now open air schools in bharathi nagar, sometimeas warehouse ;
 * Planning to put another hut for school, laying electricity lines has to be done carefully. So, school work is  going slow.
 * Once we release funds for the Tsunami proposals the schools can funtion in full capacity.

Project Freedom :
 * Pallavakm:15 days. house will be complete.
 * Electricty connection obtained for home and school.
 * 2 yrs since school started
 * The plan is to intervene at the govt schools and provide teacher training for smooth transition
 * There might be more requirements to provide for employment/livelihood opportunities for the pallavakam families.
 * A call later this week should be arranged to discuss Project Freedom in detail.

Resource center:
 * Before heavy rain,action needs to be taken for check dams, construction has started.
 * Plans to sell the produce; plans to subsidize for the local farmers; 
 * There is already a demand for organic produce in the local area
 * The Irula women will co-ordinate the store - near market, near resource center (local) and one near paliamkottai
 * Yesterday's news article in hindu: social-economic zone ; elctricity affecting farmer. Sandeep's interview gave valuable info on wind energy.
 * 3 farmers from the local area have committed to following organic farming in a full extent. They have approached BT for help.
 * We should track the efforts of these 3 farmers
 * Book to track accounts; monthly expenses; We could check with Anita to help track these farmers - interview them etc.
 * School in resource center : not started yet: Asha NYC/NJ might be interested in supporting it; not regaular school;specialized training; good if siddamma will be around.
 * The neighboring piece of land is up for sale: The initial offer was made to BT for less than 1 lakh; 
   The owner mentioned that she cant cultivate and wanted BT to make use of the land; 
 * But, with the advent of SEZs, a chemical company has come forward to take the land and the prices shot up. The owner is in a dillema and is now quoting at least 3 lakhs per acre.
 * If the chemical factory comes up in the area, the affluents from the factory and resulting pollution can possibly cause irreparable damage to all farmers in the region and the resource center.
 * We need to get further information and developments in this regard. We will call Siddamma soon to get more details.

Miscellaneous info :
 * Siddamma had been invited for a one day visit to colombo
 * This is in recognition of her work with indigenous tribes and to help groups in Colombo learn from it.
 * DD amounts: DDs have reached and information on them have been clarified to Sugandhi.
 * vivek working on fund-raising for the permanent housing projects for 10 families - A project page has been created.
 * All staff at BT are doing good. They had celebrated Ayudha pooja and some clothes etc. were given to staff.