KOCHI: Around 57 families at Panthapra tribal settlement colony in Kuttampuzha panchayat are seeking government intervention to complete the construction of their houses as five self-help groups (SHGs) engaged for the project abandoned the work after receiving funds. The tribal welfare department is unable to initiate action against the SHGs as their office-bearers belong to the same community.
In all, 67 tribal families who abandoned their households due to rise in wild animal attacks were allotted land at Panthapra in 2015 by the then Oommen Chandy government. The Pinarayi Vijayan government launched the housing project and selected six SHGs – Maniyaramkudi (13 houses), Kannickal (5), Marayur (10) and Ilappilly (10) of Idukki and Thrissileri (14) and Thirunelli (15) of Wayanad – to implement it under the Gotra Jeevika scheme in January 2020. Of them, Marayur SHG abandoned the work in the initial stage itself as its workers could not bear the summer heat.
Later, lockdown hit the construction. By the time the work was resumed in 2022, the societies were penniless as the office bearers spent the allocated amount on personal needs during the lockdown. Of the 67 families, 10 moved the Kerala High Court, which allowed them to construct the houses by themselves. Those houses were completed within a year.
“Though the department allocates fund in stages, instalments are released in advance as SHGs lack funds. The workers were tribal community members trained by the Centre for Management Development (CMD). However, their output was very low. There was cost escalation as we could not source raw materials locally. However, quality of construction was ensured as an assistant engineer from the CMD monitored the work,” said Ernakulam district tribal development officer (TDO) Anil Bhaskar. He said only Thrissileri SHG spent the entire amount on construction.
The SHGs completed roof concreting of 55 houses. Construction of two houses was stopped after laying the foundation. Plastering of 26 houses was completed and doors and windows were fixed in around 10 houses. However, flooring, wiring and plumbing works are pending.
Ooru moopan (tribal head) Kuttan Gopalan said three-and-a-half years had passed since the work was started. “The SHGs’ leaders who received the fund in advance used it to cover their expenses during lockdown. The tribal families live in temporary sheds and shift to the unfinished houses during rain. We have approached the government for help,” he said.
Ward member Joshi Pottackal said the government should allocate extra funds to complete the construction as the families have been living in sheds without basic amenities for years. Anil said the department has recommended additional allocation of Rs 52,000 per house to complete the work. SC/ST Welfare Minister K Radhakrishnan has given his approval but the finance department is yet to accord sanction, he said.
Gotra Jeevika scheme
Gotra Jeevika is a sustainable livelihood generation programme implemented by the ST Development department to bridge skill gaps among tribals. It aims to train tribal youth so that they can take up self-employment by forming societies and ventures. The resources, raw materials, service and coordination are provided by the Centre for Management Development. The selected candidates are provided training in masonry, carpentry, wiring, plumbing, driving and dress making.
