13 tribal families still awaiting rehabilitation after Wayanad landslides

Rescue operations and the rehabilitation process are progressing following the 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in Kerala's Wayanad, but for 13 tribal families, rebuilding their lives remains a distant dream. These families are currently awaiting government assistance for rehabilitation.

According to a report by The Hindu, the houses of these 13 families were not damaged during the landslides. However, because they resided in an area declared a 'no-go zone' by the authorities, these families were forced to vacate their homes. Consequently, they have been distanced from their traditional livelihoods and the forest environment.

In the current situation, some of these families are living in rented houses with government aid, while some others have returned to the forest areas. A few families have returned to the forest area of Erattukundu, while one family in Punchirimattam continues to reside there, unwilling to leave their ancestral land.

Alternative land has been allotted for these families in Puthiya Village of Meppadi under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and a promise was made to construct new houses there. However, even after this promise, the construction of houses has not yet commenced, causing significant hardship for these families.

On the other hand, rehabilitation work for other victims of the Wayanad landslides is progressing rapidly. Under the township project in Kalpetta, houses have been allotted to a total of 327 families, including 149 families last month. Thus, while progress is being made in the township for general victims, these 13 tribal families continue to live in uncertainty.