Dhanuskodi yearns for development

RAMANATHAPURAM: Dhanuskodi might be a ghost town, but its seashore is still an active fish landing centre. Despite the loss of lives and lack of amenities in the aftermath of the cyclone of 1964, around 500 people continue to live here.An elementary school functions in the area, but that is it. Roads, power supply and all other basic facilities are missing. This is in stark contrast to the development activities undertaken in the 2004 tsunami-hit areas of Nagapattinam and Vailankanni.  The school has 83 children, including 42 girls, in its rolls. Besides the headmaster, another teacher is working in the school. Both travel eight km a day to reach the school, taking the road that once existed.According to fishermen in the area, Dhanuskodi will again develop into a major fish landing centre if the government took effort in this regard. If that happens, boat congestion in Rameswaram jetty could be significantly reduced.  Bose, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Coastal Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, agreed that Dhanuskodi could become a booming business centre if renovation activities were carried out. Arulanantham, state coordinator of the Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF), added that renovation activities at Dhanuskodi could go a long way in developing the Rameswaram Island.  It will also bring down congestion of fishing boats in Rameswaram.  It is not just the fishing community that would benefit if Dhanuskodi gets a new look. Tourism will also gain prominence. Prior to the cyclone of November 23, 1964, Dhanuskodi was a well known harbour in South India. It housed a customs office, railway station and other offices. Even a train service was operated to Dhanuskodi from Madurai and Chennai. But the cyclone brought down the business hub in a day and almost 200 medical students on their way to Dhanuskodi from Chennai were also washed away.  The remains of a church, customs office, harbour office and other dilapidated buildings could still be seen in the area. But the irony is that another cyclone or a similar disaster would lead to more loss of lives as there is not even a proper road to escape from the spot.   On the developmental prospects, Collector Arun Roy told Express that a full-fledged report on the available infrastructure in Dhanuskodi  area would be compiled and a proposal for carrying out developmental activities would be sent to the State government at the earliest.