Cuddalore (TN), Jan 02: Joining relief efforts in Tsunami-hit areas, Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi participated in a prayer meet here and expressed his desire to adopt the district, battered by the ravaging waves.
Oberoi along with his father actor Suresh Oberoi and "spiritual guru" Swami Chidanand Saraswathi of the Paramath Niketan Ashram conducted a mass prayer at Thevanampatinam yesterday, a fishermen hamlet here, where tsunami waves wrecked havoc on December 26.
State ministers C Ponnaiyan, and C V Shanmugham, and District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi also took part in the prayer meet.
Vivek visited the hamlet, worst hit in the district yesterday, and expressed his desire to adopt it. But officials told him that it required Chief Minister Jayalalithaa`s consent.
"The ashram people would undertake rehabilitation works in the village," he said.
The actor said he would provide the affected people with essential items like blankets, clothes and plastic buckets.
As a long-term relief arrangement, Oberoi said he would rebuild the houses, repair damaged boats and buy fishing nets from China and Mumbai. He would also mobilise funds from Mumbai for the fishermen families here.
Meanwhile, the affected fisherfolk today said that the ashram people met the families and gave them relief material.
Bureau Report
