Case Study – Thanni Model of Disaster Induced Development
Disaster induced development sounds new in the development sector and models of such
development shows the competency of Non-Governmental Organisation to drive the community
towards planned development. Quilon Social Service Society has managed to rehabilitate and induce
major infrastructural developments at Thanni by mobilizing the community as a part of the disaster
preparedness project. Initiating development from the shambles is considered as the most
Herculean task now a days and QSSS has done this in low time. Background of the Thanni model of
Development
“Thanni” the village got the name from an ayurvedic tree Thanni (Terminalia bellarikka rocks of
Combritoxy family) which existed in historical times. It is a fishing village with development indices
below the averages. Thanni and Eravipuram are two adjacent villages in the coast of Kollam with
geographical peculiarities of the Azheekal village which was devastated by the harbor waves of 2004.
The land interlocked by the Paravoor Lake and the sea was always been treated with a step mother
attitude by the politicians and the government administration for the past two decades. Eravipuram
and Thanni have an inhabitation of 17,000 and above (Source-District information Centre). The four
kilometer stretch of coast from Mundackal East to Lakshmipuram Thope is under constant attack of
tidal waves for the past two decades. Elders in the coast remember of the beauty of the sea shore
years back before the construction of the Harbor at Thangassery. They recollect that the Break
Water (Pulimuttu - Locking granite rocks 250 meters from the coast inside the sea) constructed in
Thangassery is acting as a barrier to the Thangassery, Vaddy and Moothakkara coast. But the
peoples of the Eravipuram have to bear the brunt of the tidal waves after the introduction of
Pulimuttu. Peoples states that the sea has erased around 700 meters of land throughout these
years. This has affected the habitation and around 1000 families have to take refuge at different
points of life. Traditional fishermen have stated that, their catch have reduced to 40%.
Eighteen buses used to ply from Kollam to Paravoor and to Trivandrum through the coastal road
years back. But now only two buses used to trip up to Thanni in a day. Coastal road has been washed
away and the route is been erased from the road map. At first the road was break at Lakshmipuram
Thope and two years back at the Eravipuram Junction. Now with the charity approach of a local the
route buses are plying to Eravipuram through a private property. In 1987 the foundation stone for
the Mayyanad – Thanni was laid and the work started with an estimate of Rs 58, 32,000 Lakh. But
the construction progressed with the speed of tortoise. Only three spills were constructed in that
year and it remained there till the disaster preparedness project initiated by QSSS gained
momentum. The only way for an emergency escape to the main land is this bridge and the safeties
of 600 families were put at risk. The locals have to traverse the distance of four kilometer by walking
to reach the main land and in cases of emergency also this is a serious problem to the common
people.
Snapshot
Way back in 2006 QSSS ventured into the field with the community based Disaster Preparedness
project and formed the Emergency Response Teams. Till then there were no social movements or
leadership in the area and it was hectic to make the people to work for their right to life. But
gradually the community participation was increased. Today this project has changed the life of the
community and at present a major development programme is on the anvil. Community
mobilization initiated by Quilon Social Service Society has changed the life of the people and this has
emerged as a new model of development, Disaster Induced Development. It took only three years
for QSSS to lay down the rail of development in this village. Community members of Eravipuram has
spearheaded the development initiatives in the right way and has succeeded in bagging several
infrastructural development programmes which is supposed to create an ideal resilient village. The
difference community mobilization has made is evolution of inactive community into an active
community which is capable to ward off any disasters and they have proven this.
Emergency Response Teams in Eravipuram Thanni and actions
Disaster Mitigation by the villagers will bear the fruit when the maximum community participation is
ensured. Towards this goal ERT’s of Eravipuram and Thanni were successful. Community awareness
and the PLA have resulted in the entire people of the villages joining the various Task Forces of the
Disaster Preparedness programme. It was from the PLA people realized the vulnerability of the
Eravipuram Thanni village to any probable disaster as this place was similar to the Alappad GP being
sandwiched to the mainland by the TS canal. There were no escape routes and at times of disaster
these families have to traverse several kilometers to enter into main land. ERT members prepared a
petition and forwarded it to the concerned authorities for favorable action. Followed by that,
peoples decided to organize a social protest in the capital of Kollam by conducting a one day fasting.
They staged the one day fasting in front of the Taluk Headquarters in a Gandhian Model after
conducting a protest march throughout the town. A crowd of women, fishermen, youth and children
marched in the city for their right to life. Rally was flagged off at 11 am by the ERT Presidents. The
stretch of road from government guest house to the Taluk headquarters was traversed in one hour
time raising slogans and Placards. Rally was peaceful and the transportation was not affected. They
demanded for construction of seawall and breakwater, Commissioning of Thanni – Mayyanad
Bridge, Renovation of Coastal road and resettlement of those affected with natural disaster. This one
day fasting bagged the state wide attention and this resulted in the follow-up steps from the
government authorities followed by steps to implement their demands. Gandhian protests are
always successful and they grab the attention frequently. Minister for the Public Works Department
has called the ERT team for a discussion in the. District collector has asked the revenue department
to study about the problem and to submit it in one month’s time. Corporation of Quilon viewed this
fasting as a matter of importance and is ready to have dialogues now. As a follow up, government
decided to take appropriate actions to ensure safety of the people from the Thanni and Eravipuram
Village.
Outcomes and Results
Capacitated community has organised themselves under the CBDP project and convinced the
authorities to respond their needs and these needs were approved.
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Government approved the renovation of Paravoor – Lakshmipuram Thope road
9 gorges were sanctioned
Allotted 9 Crore 35 Lakh for the road renovation under the monitoring of harbor engineering
department
Allotted 6 Crore for revamping the construction of Thanni Mayyanad bridge
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Allotted two Crore for the approach road
Now the construction works are going on in a full swing and it is expected that in few years’ time,
the village which is often announced as recurring disaster affected by the government will turn into
a Disaster Resilient Village. This has increased the participation of more and more people and now
community members/ERT members are proud to say that they are the part of this project. This
owning up of the programme by the community which is been implemented by QSSS is the most
desired in development sector. (Case study was prepared in 2011 – For more details please refer the
outcome assessment report attached)
Present Status
In the year 2013, the works for the Thanni Bridge got completed and the same was inaugurated.
Now this bridge acts as a lifeline for thousands of people living in the coastal areas at the times of
violent tidal attacks.