New homes for the survivors of the deadly Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad district were an obligation of the government. Yet, it took nearly eight months after the disaster to start work on the project. So when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan laid the foundation stone for a township at Elston Estate in Kalpetta last week, he offered hope to the hundreds who lost more than their homes in the catastrophe. Two towns were almost entirely washed away when hills caved in under the impact of incessant rain in the early hours of July 30, 2024. Nearly 300 people were killed. While no stones were left unturned during the rescue works taken up in the aftermath, rehabilitation of the survivors remained stuck due to various reasons, including a tussle between the state and central governments over funds. Though that issue is yet to be resolved, the state government has gone ahead and launched the project, with the CM boldly claiming that no challenge is insurmountable if the people of Kerala stay united.
The plan is to provide 1,000-sq-ft, two-bedroom houses to each beneficiary in a township that will also have public institutions and commercial facilities. The government has made a list of 402 beneficiaries; 242 of them will be covered in the first phase. Among them, 175 have opted for houses built by the government and 67 for financial assistance of `15 lakh each. The project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2026. Kerala has estimated that it needs `2,221 crore for the rehabilitation and claims it has received nothing, except for a loan of `520 crore, from the Centre so far. The Centre and the state are engaged in a legal battle over the funds and the Kerala High Court has repeatedly pulled up both for misleading claims and delaying rehabilitation.
The survivors have suffered enough. There is no room for politics when dealing with a bunch of devastated and displaced families. The housing project is already much delayed and more hurdles should not be put in its way. The state government must do everything possible to speed up rehabilitation measures and the central government, on its part, must pitch in. Both would do well to focus on what they can do to end the misery of the victims.