The State Bank of India is located on the first floor of the building that has the Andaman and Nicobar Co-Op Bank on the ground floor. The original State Bank was washed away. But the bank manager retrieved the hard disk from his computers as well as the vault, which, in this case, is a huge iron safe. The bank has 3,800 accounts, the last 800 were added after the tsunami for the encashment of government cheques.
Every time a ship arrives, the police sends a jeep to the jetty. Sub Inspector Abdul Salam says he does this to keep an eye on who is coming and going, as well as cargo coming in. After the tsunami, fistfights would break out at the jetty every time a ship came in. Everyone wanted to leave. Salam believes the number of dead and missing is not correct.
"When entire families have been washed away, who will do the reporting? Nobody knows the exact number of visitors on the island that day," he says.
On Little Andaman, fishing is scarce now and the catch goes for Rs 100 a kilo. The passenger jetty has to be repaired; the breakwater wall has to be restored. PWD Deputy Engineer Krishnamurthy says, "Firstly, there is the problem of logistics, getting massive amount of material from the mainland. Secondly, there is a shortage of labour. The tribals don't want to work, and we cannot get outsiders. People need passes to come and work here, and the tribals always object. Moreover, for any work, the first requirement is always land and the tribals will never give it easily."
Even a nail has to come from the mainland. Then there is the rough, vast sea. The country wants to help, but how can you help those who want to be left alone?
Earlier: Heroes By The Sea
Complete coverage: Waves of Destruction