Kerala govt let 32 families hit by Kavalappara landslides rot in auditorium since 2019
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Aug 8, 2024, 11:08 AM ISTIn Malappuram, the government has resettled only 32 Adivasi families in Kavalappara, falling short of its promise to rehabilitate all 156 landslide-affected families of 2019 within six months. This partial progress follows High Court intervention, four years after the initial commitment.
Malappuram: The government claims to have resettled 32 Adivasi families in Kavalappara, but has fallen short of its promise to rehabilitate all 156 landslide-affected families within six months. This limited progress comes only after the High Court's intervention, four years after the initial promise. In reality, it was voluntary organizations, individuals, and institutions that provided housing for the remaining 124 families. Meanwhile, numerous farmers who suffered crop losses due to landslides remain without any support.
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Kerala witnessed a series of landslides at Kavalappara in Malappuram on August 8, 2019 with at least 59 people losing their lives and 11 missing.
As many as 32 Adivasi families were compelled to live in deplorable conditions, using clothing and plastic sheets as makeshift coverings, in an auditorium hall for four years. Basic amenities, including a place to change clothes, were lacking. Their persistent efforts, protests, and legal battles eventually led to the allocation of a new place to live in Anakkallu. Initially, the government had promised rehabilitation for 156 families, including 32, who were victims of the disaster.
Due to the government's inaction, 124 families received financial support from social and political organizations and individuals to build new homes. The government's response to the disaster was severely lacking, providing only minimal financial assistance to the families of those who lost their lives. As a result, the affected people were compelled to seek legal recourse through the High Court due to the prolonged delay in rehabilitation efforts.
The farmers' situation remains unchanged, with none receiving aid despite widespread crop losses. The government's inaction has devastated the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Now, they can only hope that others in Wayanad won't suffer the same fate as the Kavalappara victims.
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