KALPETTA: Schools in Wayanad have become temporary shelters for migrant labourers from various states after the disaster. SKMJ School in Kalpetta, Depaul School, and Cottanad Government UP School are housing migrant labourers who were working in the landslide-hit areas.
SKMJ School houses the most number of migrants. As many as 137 migrants have sought refuge in this camp. The group includes 54 from Assam, 2 from Bihar, 29 from Jharkhand, 49 from Madhya Pradesh, 1 from Tamil Nadu, and 2 from Uttar Pradesh. Among them are 36 children.
Many migrants from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam expressed a desire to return to their villages. “All of us are safe. We worked in Puthumala. We are natives of Madhya Pradesh. Some of the people from Bihar, Odisha, and Assam who worked at Mundakkai are missing. We are planning to go back to our village when we move from here,” said Raju, one of the migrant workers in the camp.
Others, like Muzamir and Manasa from Assam, who arrived only two months ago, prefer to stay and find a new job in Puthumala.
“We are happy here at the camp. They provide us with all the amenities. Kids are also happy with the ‘Kuttiyidam’ initiative,” said Manasa.
Depaul School in Kalpetta is housing 35 migrants, including 15 who previously worked at the glass bridge in Attamala. As many as 20 migrants are at Cottanad Government UP School.