THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the blame game between the state and centre over the post-landslide rehabilitation in Wayanad continues, a charity organisation is rekindling the hope for survivors.
The Chalakudi-based Philokalia Foundation handed over new houses to 14 families and is building another 15 houses that would be handed over in January. The 'Rebuild Wayanad' project of the foundation is supported by donations from kind-hearted individuals, said Mario Joseph, who along with his wife Gigi Mario founded Philokalia. The husband is a preacher-cum-activist and the wife is a councillor by profession.
Philokalia received about 500 applications from survivors and priority was given to people who could not find a place in the government's rehabilitation list, Mario told TNIE. "They include families who lived in the paadi (estate quarters) and occupants of rented houses. The new houses were built at three locations in Pulpally. All the land parcels were donations," he said. The survivors were given 600 sq ft houses with power and water connections. The land size varies from 5 to 10 cents.
Large number of people responded to his YouTube video seeking support for the rehabilitation project, Mario said. "Most of the donors were individuals and we did not go for corporate funding. They include some schools from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The construction cost was Rs 8-9 lakh per house," he said.
Thirty-nine year-old Sreedharan N., received a house at Sita Mount in Pulpally. "Our house and belongings were destroyed in the disaster. We were a joint family living at Chooralmala. The house was owned by my mother-in-law and her name is in the government's list for second phase rehabilitation. It would take time since the first phase is yet to begin," he said. Aneesh R, another survivor, said the new house has boosted his morale. "We are piecing our lives back together. Luckily, we got a new house in three months, a big relief indeed," he said. Aneesh, wife and three children live at the new house.
Philokalia's original plan was to build 100 houses. "We are now waiting for the government to finalise its rehabilitation plan. The next phase will begin only after that," he said. Meanwhile, the foundation has begun work on its new project at Vilangad, another landslide-hit area in Kozhikode. Houses will be built for 16 families there.
The Mario-Gigi couple turned to charity after the 2018 floods in which their house was destroyed. "Along with our new house, we built another one for a woman neighbour who lacked money. Afterwards we started supplying medicines and building homes to the poor," he said. The foundation built 18 houses for people who lost houses in sea rage at Chellanam and eight houses at landslide-hit Koottickal.