Wayanad Ground Report I With hopes and angst, survivors move from relief camps to rented homes

Last week, we reported on the laborious and painful process of DNA identification in Wayanad after landslides wreaked havoc on the hilly Kerala town. In another report from Ground Zero, we move on to the equally tough rehabilitation process. And if you want to read all of our Wayanad copies, here they are.

Fatima, 62, a chronic pulmonary patient, faces the challenge of making ends meet, though she isn’t working at the moment. Her husband passed away from cancer years ago, and she has no children. On July 30, Fatima and others fled for their lives from sleep as a horrific landslide swept through Kerala’s Chooralmala in Wayanad district where her home was situated near the school road.

After spending over three weeks in a relief camp, she has now relocated to a rented quarter in Ambaleri near Kalpetta.

A widow laments

“The new house is a rented quarter with cooperative and friendly neighbours, but it’s not the same as my own home,” Fatima says.

“I’m not complaining. Beggars can’t be choosers, after all. As a patient who can’t manage on my own, I have my 17-year-old niece with me. She’s finished her 12th grade, and my immediate task is to get her enrolled in college.

“Back in Chooralmala, I used to work on grass cutting on leased land. Now, with no job here, life has come to a standstill. The government provided Rs 6,000 for rent and had given Rs 10,000 upfront as a security deposit. What we need now is some employment to sustain us. I’m not blaming the government – they’re doing a good job under difficult circumstances – but we need to find a way to keep going,” she adds.

Life has become a struggle

Pradeep, who lost his brother and family in the landslide, is now supported only by his wife, three children, and his brother’s daughter, Avantika, who also lost her parents.

He has rented a house in Paralikkunnu near Kambalakkad. Although the government has provided basic support, Pradeep, like many others, feels it is insufficient for surviving, let alone rebuilding their lives and returning to some semblance of normalcy.

“I tried going back to Mundakkai five or six times, but it only brought back bad memories and depression. I can’t think of going back there anymore. I was there when the devastation from the landslide happened. I tried returning to work but haven’t been able to do it regularly,” he said.

Living standards crash

Vipindas, a 33-year-old air conditioner mechanic, was away in Tamil Nadu for work when the disaster struck. He lost four family members including his father, mother and mother-in-law. His wife and three children escaped.

“We are currently staying in an apartment complex in Puthurvayal, where five other families also live. It’s acceptable for now, but it doesn’t match the standards we were used to. We have no choice but to make do with the minimal facilities provided. The Rs 6,000 from the government doesn’t allow for better housing. We all hope to receive permanent housing soon,” he said.

Government’s rehabilitation process

By the third week of August, the government had completed the temporary rehabilitation process, relocating 728 families who had lost their homes to rented or arranged housing facilities. According to a government release, a total of 2,569 people have been shifted to various government quarters and other rented accommodation.

“A total of 821 families have been granted immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 each for temporary rehabilitation. Another Rs 8 lakh each has been distributed to 93 families of the deceased. We have identified 173 families in need; however, 58 families have no surviving members, and 25 families lack any next of kin,” said K. Rajan, Kerala’s revenue minister.

“Currently, 1,342 individuals are receiving Rs 300 per day. We have established 543 bank accounts, and Kudumbashree has developed a micro plan for 1,009 families. Given the expedited nature of this mission, completed in under 30 days, there may be some shortcomings or discrepancies. To address these issues, a Helpdesk has been set up to assist with any concerns and resolve outstanding matters,” he said.

A near-smooth process

So far, there have been minimal complaints about the temporary rehabilitation and the authorities’ handling of the situation. However, many people are concerned about their future and the plans laid out by the government.

According to the chief minister’s office, the government is preparing to implement a comprehensive rehabilitation project in a township model. This initiative aims not only to provide living spaces but also to improve overall living conditions.

Curbs on recovering bank loans

“We had received calls from various banks and financial institutions to make the repayment of existing loans immediately after the disaster which created panic among the local people,” said Suresh, a Harrison Malayalam plantation employee and a victim of the landslide. Even though the government has promised to intervene, people fear that the private banks and even societies may resort to pressure tactics to recover their money, added Suresh.

The government had asked the state-level bankers committee to take necessary action to put on hold all the outstanding loans falling under the affected area.

The government has declared a moratorium on revenue recovery action related to loans in the disaster-affected areas of Wayanad district, including Chooralmala, within the Vythiri taluk. “This order halts all attachment action until further notice,” said the revenue minister.

The permanent rehabilitation process and its criteria are major concerns for the affected people. Currently, the revenue department and the Disaster Management Authority have gathered preliminary data on the damage and affected population. However, discrepancies between this data and figures reported by some NGOs have created concerns among the people.

Preliminary surveys indicate that 1,555 houses were either totally or severely damaged while 452 houses sustained partial damage. However, the official figures are yet to be released.

Phase-wide rehabilitation

“As I understand it, the rehabilitation plan will be implemented in phases, with priority given to the families of the deceased and those who lost their entire homes,” said KK Sahad, a former president of the Meppadi Panchayat and a CPI(M) leader.

“The government’s assessment will be based on land ownership. However, landless individuals, particularly plantation workers who lived in company-provided accommodation, were also affected. During the Puthumala landslide of 2019, the landless were overlooked. This time, we have brought this issue to the government’s attention, and they are working on a plan to address it,” Sahad added.

Rehabilitation townships

According to the revenue minister, the government has identified two potential locations in Kottapadi and Kalpetta for constructing the rehabilitation townships.

The government has requested approximately Rs 900 crore from the Union government for this purpose. According to revenue department sources, the response has not been very positive.

Government is cautious

“This is a very sensitive situation. People have experienced the worst catastrophe of their lives. The government has the opportunity to win their trust if we handle it correctly this time, but it could backfire if things go wrong. Therefore, we will proceed with utmost caution,” K Rajan told The Federal.