Kerala Floods: Staring at a bleak future in Cheruthony 

Plans to relocate the population in the lowlands to higher grounds or to the new houses, which are to be constructed across forest areas in the district, will be hard to implement.
Buildings constructed on the Periyar riverbed in Cheruthony, still accomodate people even though they have suffered significant damage
Buildings constructed on the Periyar riverbed in Cheruthony, still accomodate people even though they have suffered significant damage

IDUKKI:  A row of jackfruit and other trees sticking out of the sand, exposed by low tide of the Cheruthony River, is all that remains of a small township home to 250 families. The residents were forced to flee as their land, which they slowly built up through years of struggle, was finally engulfed by the gushing water from the Idukki reservoir towering above the village. Sulaikha, a 50-year-old widow, had a simple dream - to live a modest life, educate her two daughters and repay the debt she incurred to sustain a small business after her husband died a few years ago.

Until early last month, her plan was moving along steadily. But now Sulaikha says she has hit a roadblock, which took the form of deadly floods that swept through Cheruthony, destroying her house and washing away the shop she owned in the town. It has been over a month, but families like Sulaikha’s are only just starting to come to terms with the long-term impact of the disaster as they move slowly out of makeshift camps, shelters and relatives’ homes to start picking up the pieces of their lives.

Making her way through the wreckage of her home on the bank of Cheruthony River, Sulaikha points out the damage to her house and agricultural land. But in truth, her mind was elsewhere - on the flood-damaged groceries and the dried fish she had stocked in her shop. For Sulaikha, those items represent months of labour, and the promise of grand profits for a woman of her economic background: In a single year, she can earn up to Rs 2 lakh from the business. 

In a country where the average annual income is considerably less, this is a tidy sum.
The loss could mean dark days ahead for the widow. The money she gets from her business enabled her to pay her children’s school fees and set something aside for their future.  Now, the floods have swept away their hopes of making ends meet, including a shelter where they can feel safe.Apart from Sulaikha, there are three other widows who face the similar situation. “I have no idea how to get things back to normal,” a dejected Sulaikha said, looking at her two daughters. She is convinced unless the government support is forthcoming, families like hers will be looking at a bleak future.

Finding solutions
Plans to relocate the population in the lowlands to higher grounds or to the new houses, which are to be constructed across forest areas in the district, will be hard to implement. It is expected people who have lived on their ancestral lands for generations will be unwilling to move.  “The problem that remains is we need to encourage people to move from the floodplains. But it is problematic due to cultural issues,” said District Collector K Jeevan Babu. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com