No guarantee landslide won’t hit another site, says lone Padavettikunnu resident

Abdul Salam says his house is over 300m from the landslide-hit area in Chooralmala, but with much of Wayanad prone to landslides, relocating offers no guarantee of safety.

Abdul Salam in front of his newly built house at Chooralmala  Photo | E Gokul

CHOORALMALA: While all other families of Padavettikunnu near Chooralmala have left their homes for fear of another disaster, demanding rehabilitation, Abdul Salam is staying put in his house in the area in line with government norms. He refused to leave his newly built house even as 33 others have abandoned their houses.

Salam said his house is located more than 300m away from the landslide-hit spot in Chooralmala. “Only my family is staying here now.

The area is outside the ‘No Go Zone’ marked by the government. People vacated their homes fearing another landslide. But many parts of Wayanad district are landslide-prone. If we change our location, there’s no guarantee another landslide won’t hit the new location.

Given the circumstances, why should I shift from my newly built home? The only problem is the debris on the Chooralmala-Padavettikunnu Road. Authorities have promised to build a new road,” said Salam, who runs a workshop at Ambalavayal.