THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K P Devika, a Class 4 student from Kozhikode, was one of winners of the state government’s environment day award. However, while the recipients were being honoured at the World Environment Day programme in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, her mind was elsewhere. She was in fear that her house would be taken over by the bank over a pending loan.
Devika was selected for the ‘Paristhithi Mithram’ Special Jury Award for the little terrace garden she set atop her house by following the best waste management practices. But to everyone’s surprise, Devika, who went up on stage to receive the award from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, shared her plight directly with him. Her family is now pinning their hopes on the chief minister’s assurance that he will look into the matter.
Devika took to terrace gardening two years ago with help from her father Deepak K P, a tailor who fell on bad times. Her mother Cincy is a homemaker. Devika has a three-year old brother Nilan. All three were present when Devika received the honour.
Following the Covid pandemic, Devika’s father had taken loans to improve his livelihood. However, a series of setbacks, including Devika’s illness and Deepak’s own injury owing to a car accident, soon made him a loan defaulter.
The family owes Rs 6.5 lakh to two banks and their house is all set to be attached as part of recovery proceedings.
“We had planned to submit a petition to the chief minister about our plight. But Devika surprised us by taking up the matter directly with him. We were touched when the chief minister lent a patient ear and assured her that he will look into the matter,” Cincy told TNIE.