TRO supplies relief to Trinco railway employees

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 January 2005, 19:30 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Sunday afternoon distributed relief materials to the families of about fifty eight-government railway workers comprising all three communities who are working in the Trincomalee railway station. TRO came to the rescue of these families on representation made to it that the government authority concerned in Trincomalee had refused to provide them with relief since Tsunami hit their quarters on December 26, trade union sources said.


Families of railway employees surround the TRO vehcile which brought releif materials to their quarters premises

TRO Project Director Mr.Jeha hands over relief package to a railway employee

A Sinhalese housewife thanks the TRO

A Tamil house wife thanks the TRO

TRO project director Mr.Jeha distributed the relief packages.

Railway quarters were under about five feet seawater on December 26 when the Tsunami deadly waves hit the railway station area. But the railway station was not affected because of its height, sources said.

However belongings of families of railway employees were washed away when the deadly waves withdrew via Mattikalai Sea to Trincomalee harbour, sources said.

They did not cook for two days as their quarters with debris. Later railway department cleaned the area. But the application made by affected employees for relief to the Trincomalee divisional secretariat was turned down for no reason. Finally fifty eight employees, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims jointly signed a memorandum and handed over to the TRO Trincomalee district office Saturday appealing for relief and other assistance, sources said.

TRO Trincomalee district office promptly took steps and provided first phase of relief to these employees and their families Sunday afternoon.

They all thanked the TRO for rendering a service to people who are affected by the natural disaster without any differences, sources said.