Shaken by reports of tsunami affected women of Ernavur, in suburban Chennai, selling their kidneys to overcome financial constraints, the state administration has ordered an inquiry and hurriedly convened a meeting of the Rehabilitation Department to speed up construction and allocation of permanent housing for those displaced by the December 26 calamity two years ago.

One of the reasons cited by the fisherwomen, who sold their kidneys, was that since the temporary shelters were about two kilometers from the sea it was not feasible for them to sell fish on the seafront like before. Many of them also complained that their husbands refused to go to sea because of the distance, whiling away their time drinking, putting pressure on the women to pay back debts and take care of the family.

“During an inquiry by the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), we found that about 35 women of Tsunami Nagar have sold their kidneys. The RDO spoke to about 16 women. The Chennai police has started a quiet investigation as we do not want the kidney brokers and touts to be alerted,’’ Thiruvallur District Collector Ranvir Prasad told The Indian Express.

When RDO Sangeetha visited Tsunami Nagar several women came out openly, pouring out their problems and the reasons why they sold their kidneys. Several complained of ill-health following the surgeries. While they were promised Rs 1 lakh for their kidneys by touts, they were finally paid only Rs 40,000, they told the RDO.

While the temporary shelters are located in Ernavur, the tsunami affected families, about 2,000 of them, hail from Chennai. Taking the problems posed by the location of temporary shelters seriously, the state’s Special Rehabilitation Commissioner convened a meeting yesterday, deciding to speed up construction of permanent houses and their allocation. The list of beneficiaries was also prepared. “The house allocation would be completed soon and by February the affected fishermen and their families would move into their new homes,” Ranvir Prasad said.

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