Keralam govt sanctions ₹2.46 cr for houses for survivors of 2019 Vaniyampuzha floods

The Keralam government has sanctioned ₹2.46 crore for building houses for families displaced by the August 2019 floods at Vaniyampuzha tribal settlement at Munderi in Nilambur taluk of Malappuram district.

Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes K.A. Thulasi announced the allocation in the State Assembly in response to a submission by Aryadan Shoukath, MLA of Nilambur. Each family will receive ₹6 lakh for house construction.

The project, submitted by Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) officer Vipin Das Y. in July, has received government approval. The respective departments have been directed to complete the house construction and related works.

The families have been allotted land at Vaniyampuzha equivalent in area to what they held before the floods. The process of assigning land under the Forest Rights Act had delayed their rehabilitation for over seven years.

The floods destroyed several houses in the settlement along the Chaliyar river, forcing families to move to higher ground in the forest. Seven years later, many continue to live in temporary shelters covered with plastic sheets.

The families also lack electricity, usable toilets and reliable access to water. Located in a forest area, the settlement is also exposed to threats from elephants and leopards.

Bridges lost

The loss of bridges during the floods had also cut off the hamlet from the mainland, forcing residents to depend on bamboo rafts to cross the river for several years.

The new housing allocation follows years of demands for rehabilitation. The approval is expected to enable the families to move into permanent homes after years in temporary shelters.