Tsunami shelters criticised

A number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have criticised the Indian government for providing inadequate shelters following the Tsunami disaster in 2004.

Some three groups, including Action Aid, have condemned the government for failing to include island communities in the rehabilitation process.

It is thought that many tsunami victims in the Nicobar archipelago and eastern Andaman are unhappy with the new homes that have been built for them.

The Indian authorities have constructed houses for the victims using prefabricated materials rather than build traditional, wooden, stilt homes, which are famed for their ability to withstand earthquakes.

"This has not gone down well with the local communities," Pragya Vats of Action Aid told the BBC.

"The steel and tin structures are unacceptable for the hot and humid climate of the Andamans and that was completely overlooked."

Around 8,500 pre-fabricated structures have been built for tsunami victims in the two areas.

It is thought that around 3,500 people perished due to the tsunami in the Adamans.